Come Ride Our Trails!

We are truly blessed with some incredible terrain and trails here in northwest Montana.  The FSA maintains and grooms three trail systems in the Flathead Valley.  Over 200 miles of trails are groomed regularly.

You need a Trail Pass to ride Montana Trails.  Every dollar collected for trail passes goes into trail maintenance.  Scroll down for more info!

And if you are riding up on State Lands (Olney / Fitzsimmons / Upper Whitefish areas), you need to have a valid Montana Conservation Tag (for every person age 12+).  This is only needed if you ride on/thru the State Forest. 
​
Special Notice: Fitzsimmons Trailhead: The road to the trailhead can be extremely icy—chains are strongly recommended. The parking lot is small and not ideal for large trailers. Please consider using other trailheads if you're hauling a big rig.

Area Maps

Canyon Creek / Desert Mountain

Riding the back of Big Mountain, this trail system has some of the best on and off trail riding available in the area.  A spur trail will also take you to the top of Big Mountain where you can have lunch at the Summit House run by Whitefish Resort.
​Desert Mountain is a fun day or half day ride.  When clear, you can see all the way to Big Mountain and down to Flathead Lake from the top of the mountain.  A second trail loops through wilderness terrain with some spectacular vistas. There are no services/restrooms on this trail.

 Hungry Horse
​(Lost Johnny Area)

Lost Johnny is a back-country, ungroomed ride that takes you up the west side of Hungry Horse Reservoir. This is considered expert terrain and you should not consider this area if you are unfamiliar with the territory or do not have a guide. There is no mobile phone service--riders should carry avalanche equipment, survival gear and in general, be prepared for anything.

Crane Mountain (Swan Lake Area) / 
​Skyland

The Crane Mountain Trail is an often overlooked gem of a trail that connects Ferndale to the lower end of Swan Lake.   A separate spur trail goes up to Mission Well that can offer some incredible powder riding after a fresh snow.  There are no services/restrooms on this trail.

The Skyland Area is not managed by the FSA, but does fall in the Flathead National Forest lands. The trails are managed and maintained by the Summit Snowgoers from Cutbank. We encourage you to support that club as well.

Other Info and Links

Avalanche Beacon / Transceiver Reviews
Good unbiased information.  We recommend that all persons riding our trails wear a beacon--you may not ride off trail, but there are slide areas on/around our trails.  Click Here to View Site
Trail Maps
FSA is partnering with Trail Treker (a local Montana-based company) to provide it's members with high resolution, GPS-enabled trail maps for all three areas we maintain.  Members purchase the Trail Treker app (Apple or Android) for $2 on the app store and will receive a code from the FSA to get all three maps (a $6 value) to download the maps to their smartphone. 

Once loaded, the map is cached on your smartphone and shows you where you at any time WITHOUT phone service!  We are proud to support a local company and even more pleased that we can bring our members this added piece of mind on the trails.  

​Groomer Tracking
Members, when you join or renew, you will get an email with the link to this year's welcome package (that has the link to the Groomer Tracks). This feature is members only--we feel it's only fair that members who support the club get the latest info. We upgraded to Garmin inReach safety and tracking devices in both groomers in the Whitefish Range. So you with the link you get, you can see both groomers tracking on one map (online). We hope you like this new feature and understand how we're trying to give more benefits to members.'

Note: Groomer Tracking is only available for our club groomers out of Olney and Canyon Creek.
​
Crane/Porcupine Mountain: Porcupine and Crane are now groomed twice monthly as snow conditions permit.

Desert Mountain is now groomed twice monthly as snow conditions permit.

Snowmobile Registration and Trail Pass Info

Snowmobiles operating on public land must be registered and display decals placed in a conspicuous space on the left side of the cowling. Registration is different for Montana residents and nonresidents. ​Montana FWP maintains a complete site with all the rules and regulations (click here). 
  
Residents Registration
Montana residents must register their snowmobiles at the County Treasurer's office in the county where the owner resides. This is a one-time registration and valid until the current owner sells the snowmobile.

Resident Trail Pass
Residents must purchase a Resident Trail Pass to legally ride on any of the 4,000 miles of groomed snowmobile trails in Montana. Trail Passes are valid for two seasons and are $20. Trail Passes apply to all “mechanized equipment” including snowmobiles, motorized snow bikes, and fat tire pedal bikes.  Anyone using groomed snowmobile trails for recreation is asked to please contribute and purchase the Trail Pass. The revenues go directly to grooming the trails, purchasing groomers, etc.

Exceptions
  • a person renting a snowmobile registered pursuant to 61-3-321(11)(c), but the person shall carry proof of rental if operating the snowmobile in a snowmobile area that otherwise requires a trail pass pursuant to subsection (1)
  • a person participating in a sanctioned dog sled race 
  • motorized equipment exempt from registration in Montana pursuant to 61-3-321(14) 

Nonresidents
Nonresidents must purchase a Nonresident Winter Trail Pass to legally ride on any of the 4,000 miles of groomed snowmobile trails in Montana. Trail passes are valid for one season and are $35 per machine. Trail Passes apply to all dog sleds and “mechanized equipment” including snowmobiles, motorized snow bikes, and fat tire pedal bikes.

Where to Purchase a Permit or Trail Pass
Trail Passes are available seasonally from October to April.
  • Apply Online - You may purchase your Resident Trail Pass or Nonresident Snowmobile Permit through the Online Licensing System.
  • Vendor List - You can also purchase a Nonresident Temporary Use Permit or a Resident Trail Pass at any of the vendors in Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Wyoming.

Note: A separate company administrates this system for the state and collects a convenience fee.  We recommend you simply visit a local vendor and purchase your pass(es) from them.
Tip for visitors from out of state:
Unlike many other states, it is unlawful to ride snowmobiles on many regularly plowed roads in Montana  

MCA 23-2-631 states that snowmobiles may operate on maintained streets, roads, or highways only if:
  • the roadway is drifted or covered by snow to such an extent that travel is impossible by other motor vehicles;
  • the local government allows snowmobiles to travel on plowed roads with wheeled vehicles;
  • the snowmobile operator possesses a motor vehicle driver's license or a snowmobile safety certificate and travels under the visual supervision of an adult.
Montana Snowmobile Handbook
provides great information on all the rules and tips for safe snowmobiling.