Hop on: It’s time for the ride of your life!
There’s something to be said about hopping on a bike and flying down a hill. But what kind of hill? And what kind of bike?
Mountain Biking vs Road Biking
The answer to those questions and more depend on your style of biking. And no matter your style, in the Flathead Lake and the rest of the Valley, there are many bike trails to choose from.
Flathead Valley’s got Whitefish Mountain Resort for some true downhill lift service mountain biking for those epic adventurers all the way to the Rails to Trails paved bike paths made perfect for those casual any-day rides, and everything in between.
Lake view on Whitefish Trails
Bike Gear
Whether you’re mountain biking or road biking in Flathead Valley, you need the proper equipment to get you on the trail and keep you safe while adventuring. And the proper equipment means the right tools for the job. If you plan on hitting the hills and gravel for some mountain biking, you’ll need a mountain bike or a hybrid. One that has the tires to grip and the gears to get you where you need to go. A road bike will not suffice.
And while a mountain bike can do just fine on a paved path, it’s much nicer riding the paved trails with a bike that has the thinner tires and lighter body.
A helmet is a great thing to have on your head no matter what you ride. It’s a simple insurance piece that can mean the difference between heading to a brewery or a hospital after your ride.
Bike Rentals
No helmet? No bike? No problem! With several outfitters located throughout the Valley and within Glacier National Park, you’ll be hopping on a bike and flying down that hill in no time flat…without any flats, we hope! We’ve got a few here to get you started.
Base Camp Bigfork - Bigfork
Flathead Outdoors - Kalispell
Wheaton’s Cycle - Kalispell
Glacier Cyclery and Nordic - Whitefish
Glacier Guides - Glacier area
Glacier Outfitters - Glacier area
Mountain Biking Flathead Lake
Now that you’ve got the equipment, where should you go for your biking adventures? If you’re a mountain biker keep on reading. If you’d rather stick to the pavement, scroll on down. Either way, we’ve got the deets for you so all you have to do is hop on and ride.
Crane Mountain
Crane Mountain Trails are just outside of Bigfork and can be accessed just northeast of Woods Bay and Flathead Lake Resort at the main trailhead. It can also be accessed at Beardance Trailhead about 4 miles south of the resort on Highway 35.
Known more for its advanced downhills, most riders will start at the northern access main trailhead and ride down for a shuttle back up to the car. An actual shuttle? No, this is something that you’ll have to have planned ahead of time with a friend, so they’ll know when to pick you up after flying down these steep trails. With a few more blue and black trails located up top, the majority of these trails are short and not marked very well. Most riders here stick to the downhill.
Good for: intermediate riders and above
Herron Park
Herron Park is just south of Kalispell and about a 25 minute drive from Flathead Lake Resort.
Primarily intermediate trails with a few beginner ones and forest access roads thrown in for good measure, Herron Park is a great way to get in a quick mountain biking ride that doesn’t take hours to access nor hours to ride. The trails are well marked, but they are also well traveled being so close to Kalispell and open to bikers, hikers, and horses alike. This trail system is great when you don’t have all day, but you still want to experience a real mountain bike ride.
Good for: beginner riders and above
At Herron Park overlooking Foy Lake
Pig Farms
Pig Farms is perfectly named for its close access to pig farms and farmland. Just 14 miles northwest of Kalispell, these trails aren’t quite what you might expect being on the edge of farmland and mountainous terrain. They’re better.
The majority of the trails here are blue with a good amount of green thrown in to make beginner and intermediate riders happy. If you’re looking for advanced terrain, these are not the trails for you. However, if you’re looking for a fun day on the bike to fly down hills without all that technical mumbo jumbo of the more advanced trails, then Pig Farms is perfect. The trails are not marked, but if you’re paying attention to where you started from, this really isn’t a problem. If it makes you nervous not knowing exactly where you are, then make sure you have a map or an app with you.
Good for: beginners and above
At Pig Farms with views of the many ponds dotted throughout
Spencer Mountain
Spencer Mountain is located just five miles west of Whitefish.
With only 20 miles of trails, you might be tempted to skip these. Don’t! You’ll start off climbing an old forest service road, but the trails break off from there. A word of warning. Trails marked as blue here can be quite steep and intimidating, seeming more like advanced trails. If you are an advanced rider or a park rat, this is the place to ride with its many berms, features, and flowy, fast downhill.
Good for: Intermediate and above
The Whitefish Trail and Lion Mountain
The Whitefish Trail is located just outside of Whitefish proper west of Whitefish Lake. This location makes for easy access to the trails with views of Whitefish Lake and several other smaller ones, along with the forested region that surrounds it.
With right around 40 miles of trails and the majority of them meant for beginner mountain bike riders, this is a great place to start your adventures in mountain biking. From mellow green trails to a few that require some effort with climbing and some skills at descedning, whether you’re a beginner or middle of the road rider, these trails will give you just the right amount of adventure.
Good for: beginners and above
Expansive views on Whitefish Trail
Haskill Basin and Reservoir Trailhead (leading to Whitefish Mountain Resort)
Haskill Basin and Reservoir Trailhead are only five miles north of Whitefish and connect with the Whitefish Mountain Resort trails.
While Haskill Basin has several beginner and intermediate trails, the main trail here is a 10 mile out and back intermediate trail with just over 1600 feet of elevation gain, most of it within the first five miles. This is one trail that you will most definitely earn your downhill, since most of the work happens when you first hit the trail with all the switchback to get you started. The reward is the turning around and heading down. If you love to fly, this is the trail for you.
Plus, if you’re feeling full of energy and really want to put your mountain biking skills to the test, the Reservoir Trail meets up with the lower trails to Whitefish Mountain Bike Park. Here, you can explore 25 miles of lift-accessed and cross country mountain biking trails. For pricing and trail information click here.
Good for: beginners and above at Haskill Basin, intermediate and above on Reservoir Trail and Whitefish Mountain Resort
Climbing Reservoir Trail
Biking on Paved Trails
If mountain biking is not your forte, and you’d rather have a causal ride on some paved bike paths, these are the trails for you.
Somers to Kalispell Rails to Trails
Somers to Kalispell Rails to Trails is a five mile paved path starting in Somers Bay, just 14 miles from Flathead Lake Resort around the north end of Flathead Lake. With an elevation gain not worthy of mentioning, this moderately trafficked bike path is suitable for all skill levels and all ages and makes for a great family or casual bike ride.
Good for: beginners and above
Gateway to Glacier Bike Path
The Gateway to Glacier Bike Path is 10.5 miles of paved path with just over 600 feet of elevation gain. It starts just west of Columbia Falls heading into West Glacier. From there this path connects to Apgar Bike Path inside Glacier. Apgar continues on for two and a half miles. For more information on biking in Glacier National Park click here.
Good for: beginners and above
Going-to-the-Sun-Road
Going-to-the-Sun-Road (GTSR), speaking of biking in Glacier, is one of the most popular biking activities in the spring when cars aren’t yet allowed. During the summer months, you can still bike this 50 mile stretch of one of the most scenic drives in the nation, but only during limited hours, before 11 and after four. But in the springtime, this road is open to bikers and hikers only. To learn more about this, check out our detailed post on fun things to do in Glacier during the spring.
Good for: beginners and above during the first few miles starting from Avalanche Parking. After the first few miles, it gets quite steep, so I’d recommend intermediate and above.
Springtime biking on GTSR
Swan River Trail
Swan River Trail is located at the top of the hill just east of the Bigfork Inn on Electric Avenue (which is downtown Bigfork). This four-mile out and back trail (two miles in and two miles back) follows the beautiful Swan River and is only five miles from the resort.
If you’re in need of a quick Mother Nature fix but not quite ready to leave the comforts of town, then the Swan River Trail is the perfect bike ride for you. Well maintained with an elevation gain not worth mentioning, this dirt trail is made for all skill levels and mountains and road bikes. It is the perfect place to get in some exercise before or after exploring downtown Bigfork.
Good for: beginners and above
Road Biking
Road biking can mean biking on a paved bike path, but it can also refer to actual road biking, meaning sharing the road with cars. There are many options for road biking in Flathead Valley, but riders beware, many of the highways and small mountain roads are twisty, curvy, with blind spots, uphills, downhills, and varying paved vs non-paved roads. So, if you choose to ride the road, please be cautious. Have the right gear, including helmets, lights, reflectors, and mirrors. Road biking is not always easy and some roads are not for the faint of heart.
Road biking in Glacier
Electronic Bikes
While most mountain biking trails do not allow e-bikes or electronic bikes, the paved paths generally do. If you need a bit of assistance to get you outside in nature enjoying all that Montana has to offer, hop on an e-bike. These are also quite nice to get you to the beautiful views that come with climbing Going-to-the-Sun-Road that you may not be able to enjoy without.
Biking in Bear Country
Earlier we mentioned that you need to have the proper equipment to get you on the trails. If your trail of choice is mountain biking in Flathead Valley or biking in Glacier, then your equipment should also include bear spray. You are, after all, riding in bear country. Not only should you bring it, but it needs to be easily accessible either on your body or in a side pocket where you can instantly grab it without having to unclip or unzip. More than likely, you won’t come across a bear while mountain biking, but just like your helmet, bear spray is insurance that you’ll get to enjoy a post-ride beer, not a post-ride hospital visit.
No bear spray? Check with your hosts at Flathead Lake Resort. They will often have some available to use for the day. Or there are many outfitters and stores throughout the Valley that sell bear spray.
Need Repairs or Tubes?
Got a flat? Need a new tube? Travis at Over the Mountain Bike Shop in Bigfork is fantastic. Located at 160 Montana 209, Travis will do his absolute best to get you what you need as quickly as possible to get you back on the trails. A bike that can’t ride is as useful as a phone without service.
Over the Mountain Bike Shop in Bigfork
More Trails and Resources
There are many more mountain biking and road biking trails around Flathead Lake and the Valley and beyond. In fact, Montana has over 9500 miles of trails in its 4000 trails to choose from. We just got you started.
To view more trails in Montana, check out Trailforks, our go-to resource for all the trails.
For more road biking resources and trail maps, get started at Rails to Trails.
For further mountain biking adventures, be sure to head on over to our friends at Living a Stout Life. They’ve got a plethora of tales, trails, and adventures all across the nation.
Post Ride Beverages and Food
A mountain biking or road biking trek is not complete until you have celebrated your efforts with food and beverages. No matter what trail you rode, there’s something nearby to quench your thirst and satisfy your ravenous appetite.
Cheers to the ride of your life!
- April