Considering the vast expanse of real estate that the parks cover, the challenging terrain, and the miles of paved roads and trails, a cyclist might conclude that the parks are prime areas for biking, on or off the roads.
It looks good on paper, but the reality is more harrowing. The roads are narrow and twisty; there are no bike lanes, so bikers continually fight for elbow room with wide-bodied RVs and trailers, some of which have side-view mirrors designed to decapitate bicyclists. Off-road opportunities are limited because of the small number of trails on which bikes are allowed.
Nevertheless, plenty of bicyclists take the challenge. The following trails are available, but you'll be sharing the roads with hikers. The Mount Washburn Trail, leaving from Old Chittenden Road, is a strenuous trail that climbs 1,400 feet. The Lonestar Geyser Trail, accessed at Kepler Cascade near Old Faithful, is an easy 1-hour ride on a user-friendly, partly paved road. Near Mammoth Hot Springs, Bunsen Peak Road and Osprey Falls trails present a combination ride/hike: The first 3 miles travel around Bunsen Peak; getting to the top requires a hike. A hike down to Osprey Falls adds another 2 3/4 miles to the journey.
Bike rentals are available in the gateway towns of West Yellowstone at Yellowstone Bicycles (tel. 406/646-7815) and Jackson at Hoback Sports (tel. 307/733-5335; www.hobacksports.com). Rental fees for a full suspension mountain bike are about $20 to $40 a day.
