Twin Bridges Cyclists Only Campground

November 19, 2009

I'm so excited about this news, I can hardly sit still! Back in May, we mentioned that Twin Bridges, Montana, was setting up a cyclists only campground. Little did we know (though we did suspect) the impact it would have on this small, rural community.

Bill White, the chief organizer of the campground, reports they had more than 245 cyclists stay overnight and they have determined that those folks brought at least $10,000 into their local economy. Not bad for a town with a population hovering around 400.

Bill went on to say, "The project has to be one of the highlights of my life. I met some wonderful people and am already looking forward to next year. ... The Town Council turned from skeptical to firm believers. There was absolutely NO misuse of the facility by cyclists. Many actually requested cleaning supplies be stocked so they could clean the facility themselves! The donations were surprising. Only a few left nothing...that surprised everyone. Donations ranged from $.76 to $100."

If you are interested in creating something similar, Bill says he's happy to share his experience and help you make it happen. Also, remember we have resources available on our website for Building Bicycle Tourism.

Are you ready to help your community bring a few more dollars and cents into the economy while helping your fellow traveling cyclists on their journey?

*Update: William White, Founder of Bike Camp in Twin Bridges, Montana, passed away on March 30, 2012. He will be missed.

Photos by Ed Walter

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GEOPOINTS BULLETIN is written by Jennifer 'Jenn' Milyko, an Adventure Cycling cartographer, and appears weekly, highlighting curious facts, figures, and persons from the Adventure Cycling Route Network with tips and hints for personal route creation thrown in for good measure. She also wants to remind you that map corrections and comments are always welcome via the online Map Correction Form.