Grand Tetons and Island Park Family Trip

MEETING TIME AND PLACE

This trip will meet at 8:00am MST at Wilson Backcountry Sports, 1230 Ida Lane, Wilson, Wyoming, 307-733-5228. Wilson is four miles from downtown Jackson Hole and there is a bagel shop next door to pick up a morning treat and coffee. From the bike shop we will shuttle to Harriman State Park where our ride begins. If you would like to fish on this trip you must obtain an Idaho and Wyoming fishing license. You can buy an Idaho license at Tesoro gas station in Ashton where we stop on our shuttle the first day. You will need to purchase a Wyoming fishing license in Jackson before your trip.

ENDING TIME AND PLACE

We will return to Jackson Hole between 2:00 and 3:00 pm on the last day.

ITINERARY

TRIP DAY 1

Our trip begins west of the Grand Tetons in the Island Park & Ashton Ranger Districts of the Targhee National Forest and we have about a three hour shuttle from Wilson to get there. We begin riding at Harriman State Park. The park is a wildlife refuge and was a gift to the state of Idaho from the Harriman family. There is a wonderful trail system here. The easy winding trails will allow us to see all types of wildlife including trumpeter swan and moose. After lunch we will head into the forest to our camp at Pole Bridge on the banks of the Warm River, a good place for a dip. TOTAL MILEAGE - 10-24 miles

TRIP DAY 2

Today we will ride south from camp on the old railroad grade originally built in the late 1800's. We will stop for lunch at Upper Mesa Falls on the Henry's Fork of the Snake River. Here the river is squeezed into a narrow canyon of volcanic rock, basalt and tuff, resulting in the thunderous falls, a 105 foot drop. The forest service has restored an old log inn, complete with some very interesting wildlife exhibits. After lunch at the falls, we will head back to the railroad grade. The first part of our ride this afternoon is a gentle constant downward slope with incredible views of the Warm River, so named because its flow is so constant that it never freezes in the winter. Our trail takes us through a restored railroad tunnel, quite an experience. Our camp for the evening is in a campground once again right on the banks of the Warm River with perfect access to a fine swimming hole for the kids. TOTAL MILEAGE - 10-20 miles

TRIP DAY 3

We'll start our ride this morning rolling out of the pine forest and through the farmer's barley fields on a mix of dirt roads and pavement. We'll continue riding east on dirt roads with great intermittent views of the Grand Tetons in Wyoming. The Grand Teton is the tallest in the Teton Range at 13,700 feet. Relatively untouched by humans, the land has remained a haven to wildlife. We will pass lakes that are some of the few surviving trumpeter swan nesting areas and ride through green meadows under the Teton Range. There is a continuous climb today that gains 800 feet and we are rewarded with a lovely campsite at Loon Lake. TOTAL MILEAGE - 11-27 miles

TRIP DAY 4

This morning we will leave Loon Lake and roll along the ridge, leaving the Forest for the John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway. When in season, we can snack along the way on wild Huckleberries. Lunch today will be at Grassy Lake Reservoir nestled in between Yellowstone National Park to the north and Grand Teton National Park to the south. This section of our ride brings us along the banks of the meandering Snake River. It is a beautiful open valley, scenic and undisturbed. On our final night, we'll camp in an improved campground as we are only five miles from Grand Teton National Park. Our campground has great access to a swimming hole on the Snake River, and we have the special treat of hot showers and ice cream! TOTAL MILEAGE - 8-18 miles

TRIP DAY 5

Today we'll spend some free time in Grand Teton National Park. We will shuttle from camp south to the new Visitor's Center with its fantastic exhibits. From the center, there will be lots of options, including a hike around Jenny Lake, a boat ride across the Lake and a hike to Hidden Falls and/or Inspiration Point - all of which include lots of great views of the Grand Teton! We will meet back at the van in the early afternoon for our return shuttle to Jackson Hole. TOTAL MILEAGE - Hiking 2.4-6 miles

TERRAIN

Riding Surface: Gravel and dirt roads, some singletrack, pavement and railroad grade bike paths.

Technical Difficulty: Easy.

Physical Difficulty: Easy to moderate.

Altitude: 6,000 - 8,000 feet.

Please Note: Itineraries are subject to change due to weather, road conditions, rider safety, and other factors which may affect the logistics of the adventure.

TRAVEL LOGISTICS

GETTING THERE

-Driving

It is a 90 mile drive from Idaho Falls and 307 miles from Salt Lake City.

-Flying into Jackson Hole

Airport Code: JAC

-Flying into Salt Lake City, UT

Airport Code: SLC

There are two options.

1. Rent a car and drive to Jackson Hole, approximately 5 hours. There is parking available near the bike shop.

2. Take the Jackson Hole Express Shuttle. The shuttle departs Salt Lake City airport at 1:00pm daily and arrives in Jackson Hole at 6:30 pm. Fares are $70 each way. Call 800-652-9510 for reservations. The shuttle departs Jackson Hole daily at 6:30 am and arrives in Salt Lake City airport at 12:00 noon.

TAXI SERVICE

Buckboard Transportation 307-733-1112

Alltrans Cab 307-733-3135 or 800-443-6133

All Trans offers airport shuttles, approx. $15 into downtown Jackson Hole.

LODGING

It is a good idea to book your rooms ahead and these are our recommendations.

Motel 6

$115-125

307-733-1620

Anvil Motel

$128-150

307-733-3668, 800-234-4507

Trapper Inn

$226-277

307-733-2648, 888-771-2648

Ranch Inn

$115-180

307-733-6363, 800-348-5599

Jackson Hole Central Reservations

800-443-6931

Above rates are approximate.

WEATHER

There are really just two kinds of weather: weather you like and weather you do not like. Come prepared for both and you won't care what the weather does.

If you have questions about temperatures for your specific trip please feel free to give us a call 800-845-2453 or email us at biking@westernspirit.com. We will be happy to give you packing suggestions and help you with ideas for things to do before and after your bike trip.

PACKING FOR YOUR TRIP

You will receive a tour packing list with your tour confirmation package. Be sure to bring everything on this list. Weather in the mountains can be unpredictable, so please bring all the warm clothing and rain gear on the list! Please pack all of your gear in a medium to large duffel bag. It will ride in the trailer. If you have any questions about anything on the list, please call us.

SHIPPING YOUR BIKE

You are welcome to ship your bike to us in advance of your trip. For a moderate fee we will unpack it, build it, and ship it back home to you afterwards. Bikes can be insured to $4,000. Domestic shipping only. If you decide you want to go this route, you must call us in advance of your trip so we can inform the shop that your bike is on its way.

To ship your bike UPS, send it to Wilson Backcountry Sports, 1230 Ida Lane, Wilson, WY 83014; 307-733-5228. It is critical that you include your name, "Western Spirit Cycling" and tour date on the outside of the box. Check with your local UPS people for the number of days needed for it to arrive in time. It is imperative to have your bike finely tuned and cleaned before your tour so you know it is in top running condition.

If you have any other questions about trip logistics, please feel free to send us an email or, better yet, to call us at 800-845-2453. We will be happy to try to help you answer any other questions you might have about our bike trips.

THINGS TO DO

RESTAURANTS

BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

The Bunnery, 130 N. Cache Street - great pastries and coffee

Harvest Bakery and Café, 130 W. Broadway - great café in a natural foods store

DINNER

The Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse, 25 N. Cache Street, 307-733-2207- a cultural experience to drop in for a drink upstairs, a fine restaurant downstairs, reservations are recommended

The Merry Piglets, 160 N Cache - 1 or so blocks north of the Town Square, great Mexican food

Thai Me Up, 75 East Pearl Street, excellent Thai food

BOOKS

There are lots of great books about the Grand Tetons and many can be found at http://www.grandtetonpark.org/. A few of our favorites are:

Journal of a Trapper by Osborne Russell

Campfire Tales of Jackson Hole by M.D. Potts

A Pika's Tail by Sally Plumb -- Our favorite for children.

MAPS

Your guides will have all the maps necessary for your trip. If you would like your own copy for a souvenir, here is all the info:

National Geographic Trails Illustrated map #202 Grand Teton National Park

It can be found at www.shop.nationalgeographic.com. Go to Maps, Globes, and Atlases and then to Trail Maps and then to Wyoming.

For Forest Service Maps of the Western Spirit Routes go to http://www.store.usgs.gov/. To get to the Forest Service maps go to "Featured Products" and then under "Go to product line" choose US Forest Service Maps. Phew... Then for the Grand Teton trip choose the state of Idaho and pick map 111585 Targhee NF (Island Park Ashton RD), Id.

ACTIVITIES

HORSEBACK RIDING

Jackson Hole Trail Rides - 307-733-6992 Goosewing Horseback Adventures - 307-733-5251 or 888-733-5251

FLY FISHING

Spotted Horse Ranch - 800-528-2084