According to a story in the Billings Gazzette, as of May 1st it will be illegal to ride 150 miles (0ut of 170) of trail in Montana’s Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area, which includes the Gallatin Crest Trail. A judge has declared that mountain biking ruins the opportunity for solitude for others, and has interpreted that as grounds to restrict mountain bike access to this Wilderness Study Area.
Read more on Dirt Rag‘s blog and the Billings Gazzette story.
If you’re ever wondering why it is important to support mountain biking advocacy, consider the challenges Montana mountain bikers are currently facing. This legal decision could be precedent-setting, resulting in trail closures around the country in areas deemed “eligible” for wilderness designation, even though they have not yet been designated wilderness.
