Desert Rat heading to your Mountains!

Basin Butte L.O. north of Stanley

If you haven't had a chance to make it up to Basin Butte 10 miles north of Stanley before, it is one of Stanleys high-lights that isn't on the typical tourist itinerary, and I highly recommend it for a new ride:

From lower Valley creek access: Up East fork Valley creek to Basin Butte and down Prospect creek to Valley creek and out...loop.

Drive to mile marker 121/122 out highway 21 (west about 8-9 miles out), turn right to valley creek road (well signed) and park after 1/2 mile above old bridge (good camping in area.) Ride across bridge and north 2-3 miles on abandoned road to old trailhead. Start and end the loop here.

Ride up east fork Valley creek, at summit left onto road for 1/2 mile to junction where you go right up and over the top to L.O., and incredible view from L.O. south up the Salmon river/Sawtooth valley, and then head north across the top on the old, old road and down the north side back to the main road and another 1/4 mile to saddle, where you'll go left down Prospect creek to upper Valley creek and out to a different trailhead (with completely different access from highway.) Pay attention here and immediately go left on atv trail through the woods and back to east fork trailhead.

I would recommend 7.5 minute maps of whole ride to stay oriented and to keep track of trail as you cross the flats to and from the east fork trailhead. Not to mention the sun valley map of Stanleys trail systems for more recent map and trail updates. The 7.5 maps don't have the newer road around the west side of basin butte (where you will go right at the junction and up to the L.O. from south) and 10 more miles to Hyndman lake: more good road riding.

You can ride this ride either way and you won't be disappointed. Other options in the area too. The main road from the valley up Anderson creek (another good campsite with great view of Sawtooths) and into the lookout is a 4 wd road and a beautiful (and boring for some of us) 6-8 mile ride on old mining/forest service road and normally no traffic. In fact, after the fourth, I wouldn't expect to see anyone else all day up in this area.

Up and down Prospect (different access) is just as good a ride and may be your only option, but not a loop. None-the-less it is also a very nice ride, esp. if you push through to the top for the view from the lookout.

You might (should) ask in Stanley at local bike rental about current trail conditions (may still be snow.) Stanley bakery for b-fast, Casino club for dinner: excellent food and $$. 4 or 5 other places not so $$.

Again, the view from the lookout (9,000 ft) is incredible and worth the ride even if you do it all on the road.

Have a good ride whatever you do.

Basin Butte via east fork Valley and out Prospect: 3 hours max with stop at the L.O., 2 miles abandoned, high speed, level road to east fork trailhead, approx 5 miles single track up east fork, 1.5 miles on lookout road to L.O., 1+ mile old road across the top and down north side to main mining road (scenic and technical), 1/2 mile on mining road (fast), 4.5-5 miles single track down Prospect to Valley creek, 4+ miles down Valley on atv trail to upper Valley trailhead, and a final mile on atv back to east fork th.

This isn't an epic, but the view is. The ride across the top and Prospect should tickle your fancy, but upper Valley creek atv may prove disappointing (but its fast and trends downhill.) The view from the lookout is exceptional, and thus the ride rates up there.

If you want near epic try Fourth of July to Born lakes via Ants Basin and down Warm Springs crk to The Meadows and up Pigtail crk and out the second half of Fisher creek. Miss the Pigtail turn and 15 miles later you'll come out in Carol Kings back yard (20 miles downstream from Stanley.) This south end of the Whiteclouds has lots of riding that someone more familiar with may point you in the right direction.

Or Big Boulder - Little Boulder: up the east fork of the Salmon, an hour north and east of Stanley. Its a great 22 mile loop that crosses a 9600 foot high ridge. For the loop, most people park in the shade at the turn off of the river road and ride the first four miles (1000ft) to trail head at Livingston mill to start the ride in counter-clockwise direction. Big Boulder crk is a nice hike.

Up Prospect to the 'fore mentioned mining road, north to Hindman lake and you have various options for descents: Basin creek, west fork Yankee fork (big shuttle), or back to Valley creek via a couple different ways (not recommended.)

Most of these rides are pretty remote with few people. Probably recommended to ride with a partner, but definitely not a requirement.

FYI...A portion of Fisher creek burned a few years back.

I rode Reid Divide near Whitefish a couple of weeks ago. Pretty long climb on dirt road but huge payoff. The Montana Singletrack book recommends coming down on 801 but I went another mile or two and dropped off the ridgeline on 800 which was a super fast, smooth descent through thick forest to the Tally Lake campground:thumbsup:The campground is pretty nice as well.

I did most of my riding in Idaho since we were there longer and I lost 1 1/2 days in Kalispell because of 2 heater hoses leaking coolant. I did see Phil Jackson at the Chevy dealer while he was looking at new trucks. The only riding I did in Montana was at the bike park at Whitefish Resort. It wasn't Mammoth but it was fun and had at least 4 or 5 options to get to the bottom. I did Schweitzer in Idaho and was majorly disappointed. Only 2 trails open and one of those shared the last 3 miles with the other! The other Idaho trails were great. I rode Basin/Little Basin, Elk Mountain Loop and Fisher Ck near Stanley; East Fork of Lake Fork (thanks for the info formica!) near McCall and Bernard Peak at Farragut. In between I rode the easy paths in all those places with my wife who may be a real mtbiker soon! Didn't get much info on Montana trails but I think I waited too long to post; to close to the 4th. It was a great trip and we saw some great places and had fun. Let me know if any of you come down to SoCal. I can take you on some great, uncrowded trails here on the north side of the mountains!