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cific Northwest Trail [PNT], creating a multifaceted trail suitable
for mountain biking and horseback riding."
Race also recognized these existing routes primarily show-
cased Montana's Rocky Mountains yet neglected the vast prai-
rie, the Missouri River, and the many incredible island mountain
ranges of central Montana. "I aimed to include all of these diverse
landscapes in a truly comprehensive Montana Trail," he notes.
As an experienced thru-hiker and long-distance cyclist, Race
knows a thing or two about route building, and he soon realized
there was no reason to reinvent the wheel. He envisioned primar-
ily utilizing established trails or roads on public land to create a
new experience for hikers, bicyclists, and horseback riders, with
a river section thrown in to make the Montana Trail like no other
state trail.