Three people have been nabbed for littering and possessing mountain bikes in the Rattlesnake Wilderness in Missoula.

Mountain bikes are considered mechanized equipment and as such are prohibited in Congressionally designated wilderness areas.

A Lolo National official says the incident happened at Boulder Lake. Wilderness Rangers were camped by the lake when the mountain bikers arrived and set up camp late in the evening.

Officials say when the rangers visited their camp early the next morning, they found the camp vacant, litter at the campsite and bike tracks heading up the trail.  Rangers followed the tracks up the trail and eventually found the mountain bikers in the wilderness.

Wilderness regulations prohibit mechanized and motorized vehicles in these areas.

"We sometimes saw mountain bike tracks in the wilderness up to about four or five years ago," said Missoula Ranger District Resource Staff Officer Andy Kulla. "But since then, through a combination of education and community outreach, compliance had improved. It's really disappointing to see these kinds of behavior occurring again. We take our Wilderness stewardship responsibilities seriously and work hard to protect the wilderness qualities of the Rattlesnake Wilderness."

U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officers have cited the three individuals involved in the incident.

Anyone who witnesses mountain bike or any other motorized or mechanized use in the Wilderness are asked to contact the Missoula Ranger District at (406) 329.3814.

- ­Mark Thorsell reporting from KPAX in Missoula