Grassy Mountain Kids Ride

While there are no perfect “advanced” kids’ mountain bike rides around Bozeman there are a few that are pretty good, and Grassy Mountain may be the best. In late October, we rode out and back to the high point from Olsen Creek Road.  Overall, the Bangtail Divide falls short of the Continental Divide near Butte, but Grassy Mountain has a good combination of elements for an overall positive experience including just the right amount of challenge.  And there are several criteria by which it easily surpasses the CDT…

On the Bangtail Divide with the Crazy Mountains in the distance

Just about any direction you look the views are fantastic – especially when there’s snow on the mountains.  The CDT has some great views, but nothing that compares, and some of the CDT views are of Butte and the Berkeley Pit – interesting and awe inspiring in their own way, but hardly spectacular.

A boy and his dog on Grassy Mountain with Ross Peak and Sacagawea in the distance.

It has lots of semi-frozen mud puddles!  We’ve ridden it twice in October and both times, smashing through the icy puddles has been lots of fun – mostly for my kid, but the bigger ones are best tested by an adult due to wreck potential. With the right attitude, even the big ice-puddle at the trailhead can provide lots of entertainment. In early to mid-summer the wildflowers would blow away anything on the CDT, but the mud puddles would probably be a bit of a downside.  We haven’t caught peak wildflowers on this trail yet, but they probably coincide with lots of mud since they peak fairly early up there.

It’s also quite a bit closer to Bozeman than the CDT.  See the drive time along with other stats below.

Pushing up a steep section with the snow-capped Crazy Mountains in the distance.

The downside compared to the CDT is that the trail is significantly more technical is several places and includes a few relatively short climbs that only an expert adult will be able to ride without pushing.  It might be a bit sketchy for a lot of kids and beginners to descend the steepest, most technical hill.  My kid had no problem riding any of the steep descent sections but walked a couple of them on the way up. He is almost 11 and big for his age, with several years experience and a good quality, small-adult full-suspension bike.

The high point on this trail doesn’t have a magical rock garden to explore like the CDT, but it does have a great spot to hang out and admire the views.

The high point on Grassy Mountain with the Crazy Mountains in the distance

Ride Summary:

40 minutes – Total drive time from the Kagy/Willson intersection to the trailhead.

25 minutes – Kagy/Willson intersection to Olsen Creek/Bridger Canyon Rd. intersection

15 minutes – From Bridger Canyon Rd. to pullout at Olsen Creek Rd. at trail crossing on left fork.

2 Hours – Total ride time out and back from Olsen Creek Road

45 minutes (ride time) – South to Grassy Mountain summit from Olsen Creek Rd.  Plus 10 minute stop for ice puddle video for 55 minute total time to summit.

20 minutes hanging out the summit.

30 minutes (ride time) – From summit back to Olsen Creek Rd. crossing.  Plus 10 minutes for photos/videos for total time of 45 minutes.

3.5 hours – Total time door to door from house

Alternate Rides:

1. From the high point, if you’ve set up a car shuttle, you can continue north and drop down the 20+ switchbacks to the Bracket Creek trailhead.  We did this in August, but my kid isn’t a big big fan of endless switchbacks – especially because he had a nasty wreck in the very first one near the top of the descent.  This top switchback is really the only bad one as it’s full of loose rocks.
2. A couple times we’ve done a much longer ride starting at the same location on Olsen Creek Road and going the opposite direction (south).  The difficulty and nature of the ride are very similar.  The worst part is a section early on that’s steep with a lots of loose rocks.  Then the ride gets much better.  There’s a long section of rideable switchbacks climbing through a pine forest which can be pretty muddy early season.  After this long climb, you are rewarded with a big spectacular, semi-alpine meadow with fantastic views.  My kid did this ride with a smaller, but good-quality Trek kids bike last fall.  Frozen puddles where a highlight of this ride as well.

Riding the Bangtail Divide south from Olsen Creek Road. October 2010