Groundbreaking Ceremony Marks Start of Construction on Bikefill
Photo credit: Kurt Wehde
The City of Bozeman and GVLT officially broke ground on Bikefill—a world-class bike park where riders of all ages and abilities can gather, learn, and grow together. What began as a dream nearly 15 years ago is becoming reality through a unique public-private partnership and the support of over 800 community donors.
The groundbreaking ceremony included remarks from GVLT Director of Development Justin Barth, City of Bozeman Deputy Mayor Douglas Fischer, former GVLT Board Member and Bikefill champion Bill Cochran, and Sacajawea Middle School student and six-year Bozeman Youth Cycling and National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) rider Emma Erickson. Following the presentation, speakers were joined by several project partners and lead donors to turn the first official shovels of dirt on the future site.
The project will transform 66 acres of vacant city property between Snowfill Recreation Area and the old city landfill into a vibrant recreational hub.
“Snowfill provides a space for dogs to be dogs. Bikefill will provide a place for bikers to be bikers,” said Barth. “As our community grows, this park will provide a dedicated space for riders to do their thing, taking pressure off our multi-use trails like Peets Hill and Highland Glen, reducing user conflict between the myriad groups of hikers, dog-walkers, and bird-watchers all enjoying their space in nature.”
“Bikefill gives us all a little room to breathe, relax, and enjoy the outdoors, which is why so many of us are here,” Deputy Mayor Douglas Fischer explained. “This idea would not have happened without our partners and the support of our community. We have a lot more work in front of us, but we also have a tremendous amount of work behind us, and I’m glad to celebrate this accomplishment.”
The momentous event became an even bigger celebration when Barth announced a surprise $750,000 anonymous donation to fund a newly conceptualized "Upcycle Kids Zone."
The addition comes on the heels of a public engagement survey, conducted in partnership with the City, which received over 1,000 responses. The feedback showed an overwhelming desire for additional family- and youth-focused amenities and riding features near the entrance. In response, design contractors conceptualized an expanded initial vision to include a youth-focused riding zone featuring a strider bike pump track, nature playground, and skills course.
Barth continued, “With this commitment, the finish line is now in sight to secure all funds needed to not just build Bikefill as it was initially conceived, but a Bikefill 2.0 vision that will truly stand apart from other bike parks across the nation.”
Project Highlights
Community Dream Becomes a Reality: This project is made possible by a public-private partnership between three primary organizations—the City of Bozeman, GVLT, and The Dirt Concern (Bozeman chapter of Southwest Montana Mountain Bike Association)—and more than 800 donors who share the dream of building a community bike park right here in Bozeman.
Transforming Impacted Land: The project will transform 66 acres of vacant property between Snowfill Recreation Area and the old city landfill into a world-class recreational hub for all ages and abilities. Creating a safe, fun, and dedicated biking space will also alleviate growing pressure and reduce user conflict on the local trail system.
Accessible to All: The park will feature a progression-based layout ranging from beginner pump tracks to more technical flow and advanced dirt jumps, with wide, natural-surface trails specifically designed to accommodate adaptive mountain bikes.
Improved Infrastructure: To support the influx of visitors, City-funded improvements are underway for McIlhattan Road, alongside a brand-new shared parking lot to serve both Bikefill and Snowfill users.
Montana Made: Designed and built by a collaborative team of leading Montana trail builders—including Bozeman-based Integrated Trail Lab and Whitefish-based Terraflow—some features are expected to be rideable as early as this fall, with full completion slated for fall 2027. Integrated Trail Lab and Terraflow are joined by Design 5 Landscape Architecture, Aspekt Architecture and Design, and Sanbell Engineering.
Bikefill Groundbreaking Photos
See photos from the June 18, 2026, groundbreaking ceremony attended by project partners, lead donors, and GVLT Board and staff members. (Photo credit: Kurt Wehde)
