Written by and Photos by Hilary St. Jonn. Posted in Rides
When I first visited Bozeman, Montana, I’d come for only a month to celebrate Christmas with my family, who’d recently relocated there. Then, unforeseen circumstances resulted in my moving to the city, and it’s now been a year since I first set eyes upon the valley.
Bozeman is a small city in a large state with little population (Montana is the fourth largest state by area, but has the seventh lowest population, at just above one million residents), and is located in a valley surrounded by mountains, meaning it’s perfect for riding—a biker’s dream.
Montana has the Bridger Mountains, the Crazies and the Tobacco Roots, all of which are within easy riding distance of Bozeman. Each of these mountains offers amazing scenery and camping opportunities, in addition to perfect off-road trails. From basic dirt roads to the gnarlier, rocky trails, there is something for every biker.
I came to Bozeman in the dead of winter, with plenty of snow and very cold temperatures. So, riding was not on my mind at all. But, as the snow melted, the riding urge came on strong, motivating me to get my affairs in order (in other words, find a suitable bike!) so I could ride as soon as possible.
The motorcycle that took me off road for the first time (with which I also toured Albania, Montenegro and Bulgaria) was a Suzuki DR350. She’s still in Europe, where I learned to ride, but I knew I wanted another one just like her. Lucky for me, DR350s are available just about everywhere, including right here the U.S. However, knowing that Montana is a large state with very few people, I was uncertain of finding one close by.
Luckily, with the help of friends, I was able to pick one up, and it was only a four-hour round trip away. With less than 7,000 miles on the odometer and being a 1999 model, she was in pretty good shape. Of course a few modifications were needed, such as a larger gas tank, hand guards, better mirrors, a luggage rack and top case.
My first trip on the DR350 was around the Bridger range closest to Bozeman, with a group of guys on Kawasaki KLR650s. After a brief exploration, we headed across the valley to the gorgeous Tobacco Roots mountain range.
As we approached, we drove on a dirt road running alongside old wooden houses and sun-stained, crooked wooden fences. You will not find many people in this wilderness area, and I felt as though I was transported back to Eastern Europe, the experience reminding me of Albania, one of my favorite countries.
As we climbed the mountain pass, which led between Manhead Mountain and Queens Hill, increasingly more snow appeared. Unfortunately, not everyone had the proper tires, so we turned back. While I have nothing against bigger dual-sport bikes, and one day hope to be the proud owner of a KTM 990 Adventure, sometimes riders on larger bikes don’t want to go where my rugged little DR350 will take me.
Thankfully I met Paul, who became my Bridger riding buddy. He lives at the base of the Bridgers with his five motorcycles, three of which are small dual-sports. We quickly became friends, and began riding together most weekends. We both have GoPro Hero2 video cameras that provide us with ongoing memories of our adventure rides.
I had no idea how nearby some amazing off-road trails were until we met. Since Paul lived only 15 minutes away, and it was another 15 minutes to the mountain base, we had plenty of opportunities to explore the Bridgers. It was rare to run into other people on these single-tracks surrounded by dense forest. In the spring, everything was green, fresh, and breathtakingly gorgeous.
Most Montanans are extremely friendly. Whenever we took a break, passersby would often strike up conversations. There appears to be a different pace of life here in Montana… perhaps even more so out in the beautiful open.
The Bridger Mountains were also where I had my first major off-road crash. We were taking the Iron Horse Trail up to the top of the Bridgers. The path was wide, but there were huge chunks of rock. On the left side of the trail was a cliff wall, and on the right a drop to the river. Not so far as to be fatal, but steep enough that it would be a hassle to get the bike out if it did tumble down that path.
We were making our way up, and I was in the lead. I was doing quite well, too, until my back tire got caught in a rut heading towards the cliff! When in doubt, use more throttle, which is exactly what I did—but to no avail. As my bike started her way down the cliff, I jumped off, landing face first in a pile of rocks. OUCH!
Although I’m an “all the gear, all the time” kind of girl, I hit something hard against my nose, and was thoroughly bruised all over. The crash did, however, make for great video, which was watched over and over again that night at a party, everyone gasping when the camera hit the rocks. However, accidents will happen, even amongst careful riders, so once I healed, I was off riding again.
My final trip of 2012 was an overnighter, this time with Benton, whom I met through my YouTube videos. Getting to the trail itself was quite an ordeal with the truck. But at the head of the trail, we packed everything we needed on the bikes: tents, sleeping bags, food, and beer to quench our thirsts after a good day’s ride. We wended our way through the mountain range on mainly open single tracks, and while it was a dry summer, the scenery was still beautiful.
Adding to the beauty was the fact that we could ride for miles without seeing a soul. We ended up at a lake, but to get there, we had some gnarly trails to maneuver. At one point I tipped over (short leg syndrome). I tried to get the bike up, but with all that luggage it wasn’t easy. By the time Benton made it back, I’d managed… but was totally exhausted.
There’s nothing quite like being alone on a lake at night, with the moon reflecting off the water.
The next morning we began winding our way back to the truck. The rocky parts got my heart racing. I knew I needed to go quickly to keep traction, but there were huge boulders to negotiate, requiring a lot of focus and attention. In the end, I decided to slowly crawl my way through the rocks and water. It may have not looked graceful, but it got the job done.
As we turned onto a paved forest road, Benton suddenly pulled over. Something was wrong with his rear tire. We took a look and were completely shocked to find a hook entangled in the wheel and brakes. There was no way his bike was going anywhere; the back wheel was completely locked up. Being the well-prepared adventure rider, I had tools with me. We tried prying it out, but the hook wouldn’t budge.
After a little break, we approached the problem from a new angle, taking another hook, and using that to pry the jammed one free. Thank goodness for calm minds and ingenuity. We then completed the remainder of our trip without any further setbacks, winding our way through the mountain, 99% of the time on dirt roads.
Never would I have imagined that off-road riding in Montana would offer so much in the way of beautiful vistas and abundant natural locations. Nor did I think that it would be so easy to meet so many amazing people who would share what they’ve discovered in this great state, showing me why everyone loves the mountains of Montana!
Hilary St. Jonn is an avid off road motorcyclist and has explored many countries via two wheels. Read about her adventures on her website DirtyMotorcycleAdventures.com.
