Distance: 43.5 mi, Climbed: 2,769 ft
Completed: 3,110.6 mi, 140,435 ft
After exploring Grand Teton National Park by car, Rich and I were eager to get back on the road and experience this spectacular part of Wyoming from our bicycles. We had been looking forward to riding into Yellowstone National Park, and knowing that we would soon be crossing into the park made the morning feel especially exciting.
Leaving the lodge at 7:15 AM, it was a brisk 55 degrees. With the sun shining brightly, we had a real sense of anticipation as we headed north toward our next big milestone.
During our time in Grand Teton, we saw many bike-tourers speeding along, so it was especially nice when Jessica stopped to say hello. She is riding from Jasper, Canada, to Mexico on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR). The small disco ball hanging from her saddle immediately made us smile. Jessica explained that a friend gave it to her as a reminder to enjoy the journey. As she approaches her thirtieth birthday, Jessica decided to ride the GDMBR as she wants to live her life without regrets. We loved hearing her story and seeing the joy she brings to the road.
We rode through forests showing the effects of past wildfires. Burnt tree trunks stood with newer green trees and vegetation beginning to reclaim the forest floor. The contrast was a striking reminder of the powerful fires that have swept through this region and how the forest slowly recovers.
There were beautiful, fragrant wildflowers lining the roadway. Yellow and purple blossoms added splashes of color to the landscape, and their sweet scent filled the air. With the mountains and forests surrounding us, the flowers were a simple but wonderful part of the ride. I found myself stopping often to admire the colorful patches along the road.
While we were riding through the stretch between Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, we met Francois and Regina, a couple from France who were pedaling south as we were heading north. With so many cars passing by, it wasn’t easy for either of us to cross to the other side, so we had a brief chat across the road. They told us they were riding all the way from Jasper, Canada, to Denver, Colorado. We wished them a bon voyage and continued on our way.
We stopped at the convenience store at Flagg Ranch just before the south entrance to Yellowstone. Rich has been really enjoying all the delicious foods made with local huckleberries. These berries are indigenous to the higher elevations of the Rocky Mountains. Every huckleberry grows naturally in the forest, completely unattended until individually hand-picked each summer. We were surprised to learn that these berries have never successfully been commercially cultivated and therefore are limited in availability.
Outside the convenience store, Frank struck up a conversation with us about our ride. We quickly realized he was a cyclist himself when he noticed how large the gears on the back of my bicycle were. Previously, Frank had ridden across Nebraska, and he and his wife, Mary, were now traveling by car from their home in Cedar Falls, Iowa, enjoying a sightseeing trip.
Crossing into Yellowstone National Park felt like another major milestone on this incredible journey. We had been looking forward to reaching Yellowstone for so long, and suddenly we were there, riding our bicycles through a place known not only for its extraordinary scenery, but also for its abundant wildlife and remarkable geothermal features. After all the miles we had traveled to get here, it was thrilling to finally ride into the park on our bicycles. Around any bend, we might encounter a herd of bison or a steaming geyser. With every turn of the pedals, we were excited to see what Yellowstone had waiting for us.
Much of the ride wound through dense evergreen forest, where the tall pines provided welcome stretches of shade and filled the air with that fresh mountain scent. For most of the day, we climbed gradually, following the Lewis River as it made its way through the valley below. At first, the river flowed far beneath us, but as we gained elevation, it seemed to rise closer to the road until we were riding alongside it. We experienced the river’s changing elevation as we climbed.
We stopped at Moose Falls, where the Lewis River rushes through a narrow, rocky gorge surrounded by dense forest, making the rushing water feel especially dramatic against the quiet of the woods. Over time, the cascading water has carved its way through Yellowstone’s volcanic rock, creating the rugged landscape around the falls.
Farther north, we stopped at Lewis Falls, where the Lewis River flows over a broad series of rocky ledges surrounded by Yellowstone’s dense pine forests and volcanic landscape. We could hear the cascading water well before reaching the overlook, and the combination of the rushing river, rugged rocks, and towering trees made the falls a beautiful example of how Yellowstone’s geology and waterways have shaped the landscape.
Soon we were riding alongside one of Yellowstone’s largest lakes, Lewis Lake, a clear deep-blue lake surrounded by tree-covered slopes and mountains in the distance. As we pedaled along its shoreline, the lake reflected the surrounding forests and rugged volcanic landscape, making this one of the most memorable stretches of the ride.
We met Daria from Germany and her friend Willa from California, who were riding together on Day 20 of their journey, which had begun in Eugene, Oregon. Daria plans to ride all the way across the country, while Willa will say goodbye in Colorado Springs and return to Carleton College, where she is an environmental science and geology major. Earlier in their trip, Willa found a copy of Gone with the Wind and strapped the hefty book to her handlebars so she could read along the way. Daria was inspired to set off on this adventure after reading her mother’s journal from a cross-country bicycle trip she had taken when she was eighteen. Willa told us about Yellowstone’s Firehole Lake Drive, which is a three-mile-long side road off the Grand Loop Road, which is currently closed to motor vehicles. Due to intense hydrothermal activity beneath the asphalt, the road is restricted to pedestrians and cyclists. Thanks for the heads up! We look forward to riding past the active geysers on this stretch.
Tonight, we’re staying at Grant Village, nestled along the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake. As we settle in for the evening, Rich and I are looking forward to exploring Yellowstone for the next two days before saying goodbye to Wyoming. It is hard to imagine a more memorable way to spend our final full day riding in the Cowboy State.
