A Full Weekend of Biking in Whitefish, Montana

Imagine a vibrant little mountain town full of great bars and restaurants, easily accessible by plane, train or automobile, and surrounded by so many bike trails you could ride all weekend and barely scratch the surface. That’s Whitefish, Montana, where you can send it big at Whitefish Mountain Resort’s Bike Park, explore a vast public trail network, and cool down with an evening ride along a quiet forest road — all within a 10-mile radius of the downtown strip.

Whitefish sits in the northwest corner of Montana, in a valley strewn with clear lakes and flanked by the majestic peaks of Glacier National Park. And if this place isn’t on your bucket list of mountain biking destinations, it should be. The Whitefish Bike Park alone has more than 23 miles of lift-accessed trails. Split into three sections and served by up to three chairlifts at a time, the park boasts some incredibly long, uninterrupted descents spanning 3 miles and more than 2,300 vertical feet. Add a huge variety of features and terrain, plus day tickets priced at just $62, and you’re in for an exciting ride.

After a day of ripping park laps, you can easily link up to the Whitefish Trail and cruise all the way back into town, or stay on the mountain and rest up in one of the resort’s many lodging offerings.

Getting to Whitefish — and getting around town once you’re there — is easier than you might think. The town is a mere 30-minute drive from Glacier Park International Airport, which hosts direct flights to and from 15 major cities. The downtown train depot is a daily stop for Amtrak’s Empire Builder, which brings in visitors from Seattle, Portland, Chicago and Minneapolis.

And every day the bike park is open, the S.N.O.W. Bus provides free rides between the resort and multiple stops in downtown Whitefish. No tickets necessary! The bus has plenty of bike racks, too.

Sound like a blast? It is. Get there soon because the Whitefish Bike Park’s season ends Sunday, Sept. 20.