Past Two Weeks
+ 21
Mountain to Meadow: Shuttle + Pedal
Mountain Biking Trail
Moderate
7.7 mi
561 ft
Backcountry flow trail riding!
Have you ever fantasized about the idea of a backcountry flow trail? Of berms and rollers that run down a ridgeline for miles and miles, instead of the meager 1-2-mile downhill trails found in most bike parks? If you've ever wondered how a "backcountry flow trail" would ride, then you need to travel to Big Sky, Montana, and check out Mountain to Meadow for yourself.
Mountain to Meadow runs for about 4 miles from Big Sky Resort all the way down into the town of Big Sky, thousands of vertical feet below. Along the way, the entire trail consists of endless, perfectly sculpted berms, rollers, and the odd jump or two thrown in. The upper section flows endlessly through a pine forest, with the occasional viewpoint forcing you to stop and stare in awe at the Spanish Peaks.
Lower down, the trail enters steeper terrain, but to keep the grade mild, it transitions to bench cut singletrack that crosses back and forth across the steep side slope. Here you won't find quite as many berms, but the straighter singletrack begs you to open it up and rip just a little bit faster—just heed the eventual switchback turns! You'll also enjoy expansive views to the south from this aspect.
Unfortunately, the ride concludes with a paved descent into the town of Big Sky, due to easement disputes on the original section of singletrack. Be sure to obey the trail closure, though, so more trails can be built in this area in the future.
Now, there are two different ways to access the goods on Mountain to Meadow. The option shown here doesn't require the use of a chairlift. Instead, you'll complete the Mountain to Meadow trail in its entirety, which includes pedaling up about 600 vertical feet from Big Sky Resort to reach the top of the ridge, and the downhill on Mountain to Meadow. While it's a bit of a climb, it's quite achievable for almost all riders.
To conclude, note that to complete this route as mapped, you'll need a vehicle shuttle from the town of Big Sky up to Big Sky Resort. There is a shuttle bus with a bike rack on it that runs between town and the resort, and using that bus as a free shuttle option has become very popular. Unfortunately, it is now so popular that the limited bike rack space means you might have to wait a long time to get a spot on the bus. It's now not recommended to rely on the shuttle bus, and to instead set up your own vehicle shuttle. But of course, usage on the bus depends on the time of day and the day of the week... your mileage may vary. Written by Greg Heil
Have you ever fantasized about the idea of a backcountry flow trail? Of berms and rollers that run down a ridgeline for miles and miles, instead of the meager 1-2-mile downhill trails found in most bike parks? If you've ever wondered how a "backcountry flow trail" would ride, then you need to travel to Big Sky, Montana, and check out Mountain to Meadow for yourself.
Mountain to Meadow runs for about 4 miles from Big Sky Resort all the way down into the town of Big Sky, thousands of vertical feet below. Along the way, the entire trail consists of endless, perfectly sculpted berms, rollers, and the odd jump or two thrown in. The upper section flows endlessly through a pine forest, with the occasional viewpoint forcing you to stop and stare in awe at the Spanish Peaks.
Lower down, the trail enters steeper terrain, but to keep the grade mild, it transitions to bench cut singletrack that crosses back and forth across the steep side slope. Here you won't find quite as many berms, but the straighter singletrack begs you to open it up and rip just a little bit faster—just heed the eventual switchback turns! You'll also enjoy expansive views to the south from this aspect.
Unfortunately, the ride concludes with a paved descent into the town of Big Sky, due to easement disputes on the original section of singletrack. Be sure to obey the trail closure, though, so more trails can be built in this area in the future.
Now, there are two different ways to access the goods on Mountain to Meadow. The option shown here doesn't require the use of a chairlift. Instead, you'll complete the Mountain to Meadow trail in its entirety, which includes pedaling up about 600 vertical feet from Big Sky Resort to reach the top of the ridge, and the downhill on Mountain to Meadow. While it's a bit of a climb, it's quite achievable for almost all riders.
To conclude, note that to complete this route as mapped, you'll need a vehicle shuttle from the town of Big Sky up to Big Sky Resort. There is a shuttle bus with a bike rack on it that runs between town and the resort, and using that bus as a free shuttle option has become very popular. Unfortunately, it is now so popular that the limited bike rack space means you might have to wait a long time to get a spot on the bus. It's now not recommended to rely on the shuttle bus, and to instead set up your own vehicle shuttle. But of course, usage on the bus depends on the time of day and the day of the week... your mileage may vary. Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Fork Climb | 1.53 mi | 492 ft | 6.0% |
| Mountain 2 Meadow (plaza to poop chute) | 5.54 mi | -1,339 ft | -3.1% |
| Thunder Wolf Traverse | 1.01 mi | 154 ft | 1.0% |
| Upper South Fork to Meadow | 4.48 mi | -1,424 ft | -5.4% |
| Upper South Fork DH only | 4.44 mi | -1,434 ft | -6.1% |
| First 2 miles of M2M Decent | 2.05 mi | -604 ft | -5.6% |
| M2M Flow | 3.34 mi | -1,237 ft | -7.0% |
| Mountain to Meadow DH | 1.65 mi | -640 ft | -7.3% |
| M2M/South Fork. Start from SP cutoff. | 3.07 mi | -1,191 ft | -7.2% |
| Down Andesite. Silverado to Stop sign. | 0.96 mi | -171 ft | -2.8% |