The Last Best Ride
Our mission Statement
In 1988, in celebration of Montana's centennial, Annick Smith and William Kittredge published a book titled, The Last Best Place, A Montana Anthology, from which our race gains its namesake.
Working with friends and editors, the two compiled journals, essays, stories, poems, and indigenous oral histories to help paint a portrait of the state through its literature. The book became a national bestseller, and the title accrued its own history, as many Montana residents adopted it as the unofficial moniker for their home state.
Though the scope of The Last Best Ride does not cover as much statewide geographical ground as the collection Smith and Kittredge present, we believe that our event will showcase some of Northwest Montana's most spectacular outdoor offerings.
In the spirit of the anthology, we hope to enrich your visit beyond the bubble of the bike race. Partnering with local businesses and neighborhood volunteers, we hope to provide you with an original Montana experience that celebrates and champions community and inclusion.
Contact us with any questions
Land Use Statement
As it stands now, these are our course routes. Should they need to be updated in the event of unexpected logging, National Forest Service maintenance emergencies, and/or natural occurrences (i.e. fires, tree downings), registered participants will receive an email update stating such.
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We would like to convey the utmost gratitude to all local landowning Neighbors, Big Mountain Resort and Ski Whitefish, The City of Whitefish, The Montana Department of Transportation, Flathead County Department of Transportation, The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, The City of Whitefish, F. H. Stoltze Land and Lumber, and the local ranger districts of the U.S. National Forest Service for their unwavering help and support in getting these routes organized.