GREAT FALLS (AP) -- A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging a winter travel plan for the Big Snowy Mountains that was negotiated more than two years ago.

U.S. District Court Judge Don Molloy of Missoula last week ruled in favor of the Lewis and Clark National Forest, Montana Wilderness Association and Montana Snowmobile Association, which negotiated the agreement for winter recreation in the mountain range 15 miles south of Lewistown. The Central Montana Wildlands Association filed a lawsuit to block the winter travel plan in late 2004.

Molloy had earlier denied a request by Central Montana Wildlands Association seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent the agreement from taking effect.

In is latest decision, Molloy applauded those group's efforts to reach a compromise.

''In effect, the winter recreation agreement embodies the balanced use envisioned by the Congress under the Montana Wilderness Study Act,'' Molloy wrote.

About 91,000 acres of the Big Snowy Mountains is included in that act. Central Montana Wildlands argued that the winter travel agreement violated the act and did not go far enough to protect the area from motorized uses.

The travel agreement places restrictions on snowmobiles in five cross-country ski areas around the King's Hill Winter Recreation Area. Two Wilderness Study Areas also are affected.

Based on the agreement, snowmobile travel is restricted from Dec. 15 to April 15 in areas surrounding Silver Crest, Ranch Creek, Deadman, and O'Brien Creek cross-country ski trails, and the lower portions of Jefferson Creek, Middle Fork of the Judith Wilderness Study Area and Big Snowy Mountains Wilderness Study Area.

Designated, groomed snowmobile trails remain open.

In June 2002, organizations unhappy with the Forest Service's proposed Big Snowies travel plan dropped their appeals and agreed to look at travel plans pending across other areas in the Lewis and Clark National Forest. The end result was the winter agreement reached between the MWA and snowmobile association for winter recreation in the Big Snowies and Little Belts.

''This decision sends the message that the Forest Service is well-served when former adversaries can work out their differences on a landscape level,'' said John Gatchell, conservation director for the Montana Wilderness Association.

The federal court ruling goes on to say that the Forest Service conducted a thorough analysis of the affects of the travel plan.

Marvin Hoffer with the Central Montana Wildlands Association told the Great Falls Tribune on Wednesday he had not reviewed Molloy's decision.