All of these rides have been ridden by some or all of Glacier Cyclery's staff and these descriptions were written by someone who has recently ridden them. All of the trails can be found on the Flathead National Forest map ($16.99) or better yet, the Mountain Bike Rides of the Flathead Valley ($11.95) for sale here. We will highlight any ride you are interested in on the map, before we send them out to you.





Spencer Mountain Trails 

    The Spencer Mountain trails 4 miles west of Whitefish offer sweet singletrack woods riding for everyone from an intermediate to the most advanced trail rider. Spencer Mountain has 12-15 miles of trail with newly-constructed spurs, short-cuts and long-cuts springing up frequently. These trails with their steep climbs, super fun decents, and even a few man-made obstacles, are usually snow free from mid-April to mid-November. This area makes a great ride from Glacier Cyclery. A Spencer Mountain trail is pictured on the cover photo of March 2000 issue of "Mountain Bike" magazine and on the cover photo of March 2001 issue of "BIKE" magazine.
 

Trails / Rides - Local Trails and Rides

Reid Divide (Trail 800) Ride

    Fifteen miles west of Whitefish, right next to beautiful, swimable Tally Lake is where this 22 mile loop begins. The 12 mile gravel road climb will definitely warm you up for the moderately technical Reid DivideTrail. The Flathead National Forest map ($16.99) will show you a couple of different descents back to the Lake, including the Bony Gulch Trail 801 with its numerous switchbacks and water-bars that will leave your hands aching and brake pads smoking. Usually snow free from June to mid-October, this ride is best suited for the intermediate to advanced rider.



Bill Creek Loop

    This ride starts at the top of Reid Divide about 27 miles west of Whitefish, where on a clear day, you can see the distant peaks in Glacier National Park. The first 1/2 mile of this 12 mile loop is the most difficult, offering a nice short climb to get the blood pumping before diving into the woods for a 5 mile singletrack descent that makes the easy 6 mile gravel road climb back to the top well worth it. This is a good ride for anyone with some trail riding experience. Cutting out the first mile of trail is an option if you are a beginner; or if you are an advanced rider, check out a couple of added trail/mileage options. Usually snow-free from June to mid-October.



The Alpine Trail #7

    This ride is either the ultimate trail or the most brutal time you've ever spent riding and pushing your bike. The trail is broken into two parts, the north half and south half, separated by Jewel Basin hiking area which is closed to bicycles.

    The southern half begins at Napa Point, climbs to Inspiration Pass and follows the ridge above timberline north, before descending to the town of Swan Lake. This is a 27 mile trail ride more down hill than up hill, thanks to it's point to point nature. However, there are a few miles of hike-a-bike and some exposed technical sections, so it is for advanced to expert trail riders only.

    The north half of the Alpine trail is shorter, 24 miles, but has much more climbing (6,600 feet). The climbing begins immediately, starting at the Strawberry Lake trailhead. Strawberry Lake and Lamaze Lake are a couple of the scenic views on the otherwise wooded ride. Then around Doris Mountain you see some great views of Great Northern Peak and Glacier National Park. The northern end of the trail switchbacks down to the town of Columbia Falls via approximately 42 tight turns (it is easy to lose count). The technical demands of this ride and these spectacular views are the reasons this trail has received a lot of press and is considered by some to be one of the top 10 trail rides in the US and by others, one of the toughest 10 rides in the US.

Both north and south halves of this trail are for experienced riders only; allow 6 to 8 hours of riding time and approximately 1 to 2 hours of car shuttling.



Whitefish Mountain Resort

    The Whitefish Mountain Ski Resort as shown on the cover of "Bike" magazine June 2001, offers some of the most scenic, groomed singletrack riding in the country. Ride the 8 mile Summit Trail (featured in the May 2003 issue of "Bicycling") enjoy the views, then coast back down; or take the chairlift if you are fat and lazy, own a downhill bike, or both. Usually, snow free mid-June to late October.



Glacier National Park

    Technically, there is no trail riding in Glacier National Park, but this ride qualifies as "off-road", is signed as a bike trail and easy enough for a family ride. To get the most mileage, begin in Apgar Village and ride the bike paths back towards the entrance station to the road going to the horse barn. From here, the route follows an old road that crosses MacDonald Creek on the historic Quarter Circle Bridge, goes through the forest and eventually ends on a high bluff over-looking the Middle Fork and the North Fork of the Flathead River where an old ranger station once stood. This area and the old Flathead Ranger Station were burned in the summer of 2003 by the Trapper Lake Fire. The behavior of fire and its effects along this trail actually make this a very interesting outing. This out and back ride is 13.5 miles long and is one on which you can enjoy the park's solitude while riding.







Star Meadows Road

    This 36 mile out and back ride is a perfect way to combine beautiful scenery, peace and quiet and a good workout. Star Meadows Road, which passes through some excellent mountain bike trail territory, offers excellent road surface, very little traffic, and some climbs that will make you glad the return trip is downhill. This ride starts 11 miles west of Whitefish on Farm-To-Market Road, passes through Flathead National Forest land, and ends where the pavement does, about 2 miles past beautiful Star Meadows. Keep an eye out for cattle guards, cattle, and their slippery road hazards.



Head of Whitefish via Lakeshore Drive

    This 21 mile round trip, out and back ride from town is a great short spin when you don't have a lot of time, but just have to ride. Moderate hills, good road surface and low residential traffic add to the views of Whitefish Lake. Stop by Les Mason Park for a swim on your way back, or head up Big Mountain Road for a fairly steep 5 mile climb to the Whitefish Mountain Resort's base area where you can grab a cold drink and take in some spectacular views. As you sprint along, you may over-take loaded down, trail weary backcountry bike tourers on the Great Divide Route as East Lakeshore Dirve is the route's backdoor entrance into Whitefish.



50+ Mile Valley Loops

    There are various less traveled roads on the valley floor that can be linked together for looped road rides. From the north end of the Farm-To-Market Road, south to Reserve Drive, east on Reserve Drive accross Hwy. 93, and then north back to Whitefish on Whitefish Stage Road is one of these loops. Most of the rides in the valley are flat or rolling hills; the trick to making these loops fun is to avoid heavily traveled main roads and roads that become dirt and dusty in the dry season, or mud and mire in the rain!



Going-To-The-Sun Road

    The best time of year to ride on the Going-To-The-Sun road is early in the spring as the Park Service begins snow plowing operations and the road is closed to automobiles but open to hikers and bikers. The date of this event varies depending on the severity of winter and late spring snow storms. Often by early May, until at least mid June, the Park Service gates the road at Avalanche Creek Campground to prohibit automobile traffic, people can experience the park at its best, and as it should be experienced - outside of a car.
 

Mountain Bike Trails

Road Bike Rides