Does Montana Rank Among The Best States To Mountain Bike?

I’m not a mountain biker myself, so I can’t speak from the seat of a bike—but living in Montana, you definitely notice how many people are out riding the trails. Whether it's locals hitting the dirt after work or out-of-staters showing up with bikes strapped to their rigs, mountain biking is a big deal here. And honestly, it makes sense.

With our endless public lands, mountain views, and trails that wind through everything, it’s kind of a dream setup for riders.

So when I saw that Montana was recently ranked as one of the top states in the country for mountain biking, I wasn’t surprised at all.

VelociRAX compiled a list of the best states for mountain biking, taking several factors into account. These factors include the number of trails, the percentage of hilly terrain, the total miles of trails, the proportion of difficult trails, average trail scores, bike-ability rankings, and average elevation.

Where Does Montana Rank for Mountain Biking?

Big Sky Country landed in 8th place on the list—even with a few interesting odds stacked against us. For starters, Montana reportedly has fewer trails overall, averaging only about 7 trails per 1,000 square miles. But what we lack in quantity, we seem to make up for in terrain. A solid 36.5% of our land is considered hilly, which works out great for mountain bikers looking for elevation and challenge.

Even with fewer trail miles, Montana stands out for having the highest percentage of difficult trails in the country. Other states that made the list ahead of Montana, in order, were Vermont, West Virginia, Idaho, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Colorado, and Connecticut.

Get our free mobile app

Are you a mountain biker? Do you agree with this list—or have a favorite spot that didn’t make the cut? Let us know HERE.