Bozeman Area Biking- Little Wapiti Creek

We packed up from our great campsite up Hyalite Canyon and headed to Gallatin Canyon, as it was closer to some rides we wanted to do that we hoped would have less snow. Once there, we regretted leaving our beautiful campsite and spent far too long looking for a good one, finally settling for an ugly pay site right next to the highway.

So it was almost 5pm by the time we started the 14-mile loop ride on Little Wapiti Creek. The area is noted as 'grizzly country' so I was nervous...we both wore bear bells that jingled up & down the trail.

  The guidebook promised it was beautiful and 'wild' country,

and, as you can tell, it was very scenic.

However, after the scenic uphill, we entered the woods for awhile where we encountered lots of impassable mud (mostly b/c it was tracked out by ATVs). 

In the mud, I completely forgot my fear of grizzlies b/c it was replaced by a new and very real fear of being eaten alive, little by little, by mosquitoes. They didn't go anywhere near Brandon but I literally had swarms of them on me as I pushed my bike through the mud, unable to swat at them sufficiently.

Then we began the downhill, which truly sucked. Seriously. Just so you know, neither of us have ever thought a downhill sucked. There are variances of good to blissful, but never bad.

The 'trail' was essentially a huge rut of mud with washboards created by mole tunnels every few inches. It was difficult to control your bike in the ruts and so we couldn't really relax into the ride. Plus, it was impossible to pedal through the moderate sections b/c the rut was so deep and narrow that your pedals hit the sidewall.

Okay, we won't complain too much. The views were phenomenal, we got some good exercise, and we enjoyed some peaceful wild country without getting mauled. But in regards to this trail being comparable to the 'afterlife' (according to the guidebook), we have higher standards for heaven. :)