This route starts in the small town of Kelly, which is in the Grand Teton National Park. The route goes in and out of the boundaries of the National park and is also in the Bridger-Teton National Forest.
The views are jaw-droppingly spectacular in the way only the Tetons can be!
The first and last 5-6 miles are on pavement which is relatively flat and fast. You have some of the best views in this section so it is easy to take your eyes off the road and gawk at the mountains all you want!
Even though you are near the National Park attractions, you are far enough away that car traffic is very light on the pavement section and pretty much non-existent on the gravel sections.
The approximately 3-mile dirt decent is particularly chunky, lumpy bumpy and jarring.
Some people will prefer a mountain bike for this route and if you have the option, we might agree. It is totally doable on a gravel bike with 50mm tires (which is what we rode), however, you could certainly be more comfortable with suspension and even bigger tires. At the same time, it IS only three miles of rugged terrain, and a gravel bike made the pavement section nice and fast, so it feels like a toss-up.
Do this ride if you want a short but challenging climb up and around Shadow Mountain, which offers specacular views of the Grand Tenons.
We started from the small town of Kelly, Wyoming, which sits just inside the borders of the Grand Teton National Park. We parked in a public parking area next to their elementary school.
No public bathrooms or water are available here, so you'll want to come prepared. (There used to be a small market in the town, but it seems to be permanently closed. 😕)
Once you leave the town, the route is remote. There is a vault toilet in the lower dispersed camping area (approximately mile 6.5), but there is no potable water.
While we didn't see any bears on our ride, you are most certainly biking in Grizzly and Black Bear country (and the forested section seems like prime territory as we noticed quite a few berry bushes along the road). Make sure you bring bear spray and are well aware of what to do if you see a bear. (The Wyoming National Parks have good info on bear safety.)
The main dirt climb is a nice challenge at about 3 miles and average grade of about 6.8%. Expect a few short pitches of up to 13%.
Laura & Rose
Laura Karpinski and Rose Barcklow are the creators of Gravel Bike Adventures. Click on the About page to learn more about them.
