Trail passes in the Bozeman Community Nordic Trails system are voluntary and access to the trails is open to the public, regardless of membership status.
What's the catch? The catch is that in order to keep grooming, Bridger Ski Foundation needs to sell enough passes/memberships each year to cover costs. The trails program requires $200,000+ for grooming, maintenance, snowmaking and equipment each year. That comes solely from grants, donations, and trail memberships.
Where does my money go? Bridger Ski Foundation is a nonprofit and your purchase goes straight to BSF's Trails Program to fund the grooming of trails, grooming equipment and the maintenance and management of the program. And yes, your trail membership is a tax-deductible contribution.