These journal entries seem to be littered with words such as ‘beautiful’, ‘gorgeous’, ‘stunning’. If I were a wordsmith, I would invent one for Grand Teton and how special of an experience it was for this team in its own right. Seemingly overshadowed in popularity by Yellowstone to the north, it is a true natural haven that feels both empty and lively all at once. We pedaled through the pancake-flat Jackson Hole, a miles-wide basin that holds the lakes and smaller foothills, while the Teton Range stood regally to the west and more Rockies marked the east. Elements of the wilderness complemented each other flawlessly. Being suspended in this park by bike on our way in from Jackson, and on foot later in the day and during the following day, was a truly magical experience, and one none of us will soon forget.
Ride Overview
Mileage: 48.3
Elevation: +1859’/-1280’
General Direction: Ride north on U.S. 26-191 and take the adjacent bike path until it terminates, re-merge onto the road and turn left at mile 30.5 onto U.S. 191 (John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway) to enter the park, follow this road for the duration of the route, turn left into the Lizard Creek Campground entrance at mile 48 to reach the campsite.
Points of Interest: Downtown Jackson, Jackson Hole, Teton Mountain Range (Grand Teton, Mt. St. John, Mt. Moran, etc.), Snake River, Blacktail Butte, Jackson Hole Airport, Oxbow Bend, Jackson Lake, Rocky Mountains (east, includes Wildcat Peak, Huckleberry Mountain, etc.)
Tales of the Trail
Conveniently, the road we needed to be on for the majority of the time was right outside of the church doors. After a very fun Leave No Trace activity led by Hanna, we started pedaling through downtown Jackson and into Jackson Hole. While still being outside the park borders, we were given a show by the Teton Mountain range slowly uncovering itself peak by peak, contrasted nicely with the wildflowers flying by our bike path. The crown jewel and namesake of the park, Grand Teton, was one of the first to appear, showing its rocky, shark-toothed profile at a 13,775’ peak. The openness of the Hole made the mountains that much more present in how they just took off from the flat basin.
Fields and conservation areas became forests the nearer we got to Jackson Lake, and each rest stop or pull-off was complimented with pictures, talking, laughter, and just taking it all in. Rather hilly, the latter half of the route within the park border itself took us through armies of pines with occasional glimpses of brilliant blue lakes including Jackson Lake, the largest in the park. Our campsite at the northern end of this lake would give us a spectacular view of the range from the north and the sunset to the right of the peaks.
After arriving at camp, we set up our tents, placed bags in bear boxes, and went to lunch at Leek’s Marina. Following this, we all took a dip in Jackson Lake at a painfully rocky swimming beach to cool off from the hot sun, and checked out the visitor center. Upon returning to camp, we cooked up some hot dogs, caught one of the coolest sunsets we’ve seen thus far, and turned in for the night.
The Rest Day
“Rest day” . . . as if! We piled into the van at 6:30 the following morning, following a plan to visit two lakes: Jenny Lake and Phelps Lake. Groups of riders hiked around the area in the morning, including around Jenny Lake itself and inside the nearby Cascade Canyon sandwiched between Grand Teton and Mt. St. John. The lake was crystal clear, only being disturbed by the occasional shuttle boat crossing it. Rock piles, waterfalls, pine forests, and fresh mountain air filled in every gap and made this hike an absolute favorite among the team. Groups (safely) even saw a bull moose and a young (we think black) bear, for some within a mile of each other!
Later in the afternoon, we moved on to Phelps Lake, home of a 30-foot-tall jumping rock overlooking the lake itself. Groups jumped in, sat on beach alcoves, waded through a stream, and for the way there and back were given a hike bordering a rapid river with tons of different wildflowers and tree species. Unlike Jenny Lake, seeing other hikers at Phelps Lake was much rarer and that much more intimate. An exhausting day in its own right, but worth it all the same. We went to bed after a few more hot dogs, sad to be leaving the Tetons behind, but excited for Yellowstone (but to be honest, pretty tired overall!).
Another I4K birthday is today! This time it is for the amazing Kathryn Choate, and what a day to have it on! Happy birthday, Kathryn! We celebrated with some fruit trays we enjoyed throughout our stay and with a cooking stick candle she blew out at the end of the day after we sang to her.
Cyclist’s Corner
Today’s Rider: Nina Rosas, Assistant Ride Leader
How are you today? I’m doing really good today. It was a very scenic and beautiful route into Grand Tetons and I had a great group with a fun dynamic and a good pace. At one point, we pulled off to look across Jackson Lake at the mountain view and then decided to walk down and dip our hands in the water and it was a really good time.
In your opinion, what makes a good I4K teammate? Someone who is willing to do one thing for the team that day. Overall, if everyone has just a little bit to contribute in some way, it really makes our team thrive. Everyone’s unique personality and blend adds to this already, but doing that one extra thing to help somebody on any given day really strengthens the team as a whole.
Where was the best ice cream you’ve had so far? Probably State College’s infamous Berkey Creamery, I had strawberry ice cream.
How have you improved in handling the bike during the ride? I think more so that my confidence has improved as opposed to my bike handling. For example, being able to look back on terrain such as mountains, and just knowing when this is needed and that I can do it helps me get through the day no matter the length or amount of climbing.
If you could snapshot one favorite or at least special sight, place, or moment in your mind that you’ve experienced on the bike, what would it be, where was it, and on what ride day? I had a really fun time riding along the Colorado River from Eagle to Rifle. The river rapids were on our left and the canyon rose up above us. It was such a good team bonding experience and a fun ride in general.
In ten words or less, how will you remember this ride when we complete it? It’s a perspective-altering experience and a ton of fun.
Please visit the rider profiles page on the website to learn more about this year’s riders! :)
