Cycle the Grand Teton & Yellowstone National Parks

Welcome to Bozeman, outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, gateway to Yellowstone National Park, and fast becoming one of the ‘coolest small towns in America’. Your trip begins with a midday welcome meeting with your guide and fellow travellers. Afterwards, get fitted for your bike then embark on an afternoon ride around town then up the quiet road through the serene Kelly Canyon. Along the way, you'll pass one of Lewis and Clark's campsites, which probably doesn't look too different now than it did in the early 1800s. Once the hill is done, ride alongside Bridger Creek and into the scenic Bridger Canyon, keeping a keen eye out for the iconic white stone ‘College M’ sign along the way. Perhaps stop for refreshments at the friendly Ghost Town Coffee Roasters before finishing your ride back in central Bozeman. The rest of the evening is free for you to explore this eclectic and vibrant town and its stunning array of shops, cafes, breweries, bars, and restaurants.

After breakfast, enjoy stunning backdrops and towering mountain scenery on the drive to Yellowstone National Park. Begin your ride through this iconic landscape, with a mostly flat journey alongside the Madison River before cycling along the quiet Firehole Canyon Road as it tracks the fast-moving Firehole River (and maybe stop for a swim if times allows). From here, you’ll cycle past multihued thermal pools and geysers, the steaming copper-coloured waters of Hot and Firehole Lakes, and the regularly erupting White Dome Geyser before parking the bikes and take a short but remarkable walk past the Excelsior Geyser Crater to the rainbow-coloured Grand Prismatic Spring. After viewing this spectacular site, its back on to your bike for one last ride to the granddaddy of all geysers, Old Faithful. Rest your legs as you wait for the high plume of boiling water to erupt before jumping into the support vehicle and driving to the west part of the park for the night.

After breakfast, enjoy a scenic drive to the small village of Fishing Bridge, located at the northern tip of Yellowstone Lake. It’s time to saddle up for a very different ride to yesterday, as you follow the Yellowstone River upstream through verdant green landscape before riding into the vast open expanses of the Hayden Valley, one of Yellowstone’s best place to spot wildlife. Keep an eye out for bison, elk, and perhaps a grizzly bear. Then it’s time to pull on your hiking shoes and explore Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon which is 20 miles long and up to 4,000-feet wide and 1,200-feet deep in places as the Yellowstone river cuts it way through the multi-hued rock. Hike along the south rim of the canyon to enjoy spectacular views of the thundering Upper Falls, Artist Point and, of course, the canyon itself. At the end of the hike your vehicle will be waiting to take to back to West Yellowstone, where you can spend an evening relaxing.

After breakfast leave the hotel and transport back to Lake Yellowstone and the tiny Lake Village where you’ll start riding. Today is a leisurely ride, first hugging the shoreline and then following the tree-lines road that shadows the contours of the lake all the way down to West Thumb on the western shores. Take a short hike along the West Thumb Geyser Basin Trail to witness the surreal Lakeshore Geyser bubbling away in Lake Yellowstone then cycle on to nearby Grant Village where your ride concludes. From here, it is time to say goodbye to Yellowstone as you board the vehicle for the 1 hour drive south along the John J Rockefeller Jr Memorial Parkway to Moran, the gateway to the Grand Teton National Park. This is a spectacular drive as you drop down to the calm waters of Jackson Lake reflecting the jagged Grand Teton mountain range, before settling into your hotel for the evening.

Start today with a short drive to one of the highlights of Grand Teton National Park, the tranquil Jenny Lake. Cycle from the Jenny Lake Overview and down the valley with the jagged peaks of the Grand Tetons on your right and open plains on your left. Cross the braided Snake River and follow the vehicle-free cycle path south into the skiing mecca of Jackson, perhaps stopping for a quick coffee and pastry in one of the many cafes that dot the town. Re-cross the Snake River and cycle north along the base of the mountains back to the small community of Moose where today’s ride concludes. At 73 kms (45 miles), this is the longest ride on the trip but the inspiring views, car-free cycle paths and mostly flat terrain make for an incredibly enjoyable day. After the ride, take the short transfer back to the hotel with plenty of time to relax and reflect on an amazing day out on your bike.

Today’s short ride follows a familiar start as retrace your tyre tracks from Day 5 – this time by vehicle - back to Jackson to commence your final ride. Leaving town behind, follow the smooth and car-free Jackson Hole Community Pathway south through Wilson Canyon – with wonderful views back to the mountains - to meet Henrys Road. This innocuous-sounding name hides that fact that this is one of the most spectacular trails in the region as the gravel then bitumen road hugs the barren hillside directly above the fast-flowing, serpentine Snake River. This inspiring ride finishes where the road ends, then it’s time to board the support vehicle for the short drive back to Jackson, where your trip finishes on arrival.