Whitefish Bike Park opens top-to-bottom biking trails

While the mountain biking season started at lower elevations in the Whitefish Bike Park earlier this month, stoke was up high last weekend with top-to-bottom trails opening.

The Whitefish Bike Park encompasses more than 30 miles of mountain bike trails, including 26 lift-accessed trails in three zones serviced by two chairlifts and will be open daily through Labor Day and Friday to Sunday through Sept. 22 with lift access from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

“After last summer’s record-setting season, the Whitefish Bike Park is ready to welcome more riders this summer from never-ever downhillers to seasoned racers,” Josh Knight, events and recreation manager at Whitefish Mountain Resort, said. “Every summer for the past decade we’ve seen a steady increase in bike visits and we’ve been working hard to provide a better riding experience to more people. This year we are stoked to create new options for our novice and intermediate riders with two new trails. It’s our commitment to these improvements that makes the Whitefish Bike Park one of the region’s most versatile destinations for all downhill riding.”

Continuing the bike park’s Rock-n-Roll theme, the new green trail, Kansas, recently opened for novice downhillers and aspiring groms. Meanwhile work continues on a new blue trail, ZZ Top that will add an intermediate option in the Overflow Zone. ZZ Top is expected to be open July 1.

The Whitefish Bike Park 2019 adult season pass is $229 for unlimited lift access and a junior or senior season pass is only $135. For a limited time 2018/19 winter season pass holders can purchase an adult Bike Pass at $209 and $115 for juniors and seniors. This discount is for the pass holder only and must be purchased by June 30. Single day lift access to the Whitefish Bike Park for adults is $41 for a full day or $30 for two hours. Junior and seniors are $30 for full day and $25 for two hours.

This year Bike Park passholders receive two full-day tickets at Schweitzer, Mt. Bachelor, Timberline and Grand Targhee’s bike parks.

The bike park’s introductory lesson package “Learn to Bike Downhill” will be offered daily beginning June 29 through Sept. 2. For $114, riders receive a 2-hour downhill mountain bike rental, protective gear including a full-face helmet, a Bad Rock Zone lift ticket, and a two-hour downhill mountain bike lesson. More mountain bike lesson options are available. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling Village Rentals at 406-862-1995.

Each summer local riders look forward to the Whitefish Bike Park’s low-key racing events with both a downhill and XC race series. The Ten Dollar Downhill is a five-week race series that runs from July 10 to August 7. Also five weeks long, the Thursday Night Race League XC series is fun for all ages and skill levels and features a kids’ race and cross-country racing for all levels July 11 through August 8.

The Montana Enduro Series and Northwest Cup return to the Whitefish Bike Park this summer, bringing additional competition.

Enduro racers take on the challenge in the Enduro Pescado on July 13. Additionally, one of the country’s premiere downhill race series, the NW Cup, will bring hundreds of riders from across the continent Aug. 23-25. Finally, downhillers can show off their skills with the Double Dip Downhill Sept. 15.