Biking the Yaak
The Yaak is an untapped mountain bikers' paradise. The area has hundreds of miles of old logging and fire roads, many closed to vehicles, offering easy to rugged singletrack terrain. Take a ride into the backcountry to see the real Yaak and delve into the area's landscape and catch glimpses of its wildlife.
Within three miles of Yaak Meadows is Pipe Creek Road, a conduit to many closed logging roads that offer rides to a lookout tower, streams, wooded forest and meadows. Ride to the top of Hensley Hill (elevation 4,972 feet), which was the site of a radar station base during World War II, and check out stunning 360-degree views of the surrounding valley. On your way back, stop at the Yaak Tavern and hang with the locals over a couple Moose Drool beers.
You'll also find the 1,400 miles of trails in the Kootenai National Forest aren't just for hikers, mountain bikers can get in on the action. The terrain offers challenges with rocks and blown-down trees, but allows riders to explore the rugged territory of Northwest Montana. The Hoskins Lake Trail is almost two miles through wooded areas, ending at the bluish-green lake.
When the weather warms up, our local area offers several bike races and tours. Just 14 miles down the road from Yaak Meadows is the Turner Mountain Ski Hill. Every July, it holds the Turner Burner mountain bike race, which consists of cross country, downhill and dual slalom events. The course is a singletrack closed loop. It's a 2.5-mile push up the hill with a 3.5-mile intermediate downhill singletrack.
The Yaak is also part of the annual STOKR (Scenic Tour of the Kootenai River) two-day bike tour held the second weekend of May. Day one offers two options -- the longer 98-mile ride and shorter 45-mile ride -- and day two has an equally scenic 37-mile ride. The event is sponsored by the Kootenai Valley Partners Habitat for Humanity and raises money to build Habitat for Humanity homes for those in need in Libby.
The STOKR's 98-mile ride on Saturday begins in Libby, travels west alongside the Kootenai River, then follows the Yaak River to Pipe Creek Pass and back to Libby again. The shorter 45-mile route begins with the 98-milers heading west alongside the Kootenai River. Sunday riders enjoy a scenic 37-mile ride following the scenic Kootenai River upstream to Lake Koocanusa and the visitor center at Libby Dam.
Although it's outside the Yaak, you can also check out the 80-mile Lake Koocanusa Loop ride -- ideal for bike riders. When the government created the Libby Dam in 1972, they flooded towns and the whole Kootenai River Valley. The resulting Lake Koocanusa now extends 90 miles upstream with 48 miles in the United States and 42 miles in Canada. Not for the faint of heart, experienced riders will be treated with views of the lake and surrounding mountains.