Spud
Well-known member
Guide to FJR’ing the Yellowstone/Teton Park area:
I live about an hour and a half of enjoyable riding from either the West Entrance of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) or the South Entrance of Grand Teton National Park (GTNP). As you might guess, I end up heading around the area a lot in the Spring/Summer/Fall on the FJR. Knowing a lot of forum members go to or through the area in the summer, I thought I’d give my take on it, FWIW….
The area: think if it as two different areas—YNP and GTNP, and the areas immediately surrounding. When you are in either YNP or GTNP, your FJR is a touring bike, not a sport bike.
Touring: The speed limit is 45 mph or lower in most of the park. Speeding in the park 1) runs you the risk of a ticket (rangers use radar a lot, and write a lot of tickets); 2) increases your risk of hitting a BIG animal, as they are everywhere; and 3) will leaving you feeling like an idiot when you come around a corner and have to stop at a traffic jam, letting everyone you just passed catch right back up.
The parks are big, the going is slow, and it just takes a lot of time to get through. Know that going in, and you won’t be frustrated. In 2012, almost 3.5 million people visited YNP. The roads are limited, and it’s crowded. The only time there’s little traffic is at night, as the crowds start heading in every day very early in the morning. One thing I’ve found you can get away with is slowly and carefully “cutting” the line if cars are piled up for a “critter traffic jam.” Just jump in the oncoming lane and slowly begin riding around the cars if there’s no oncoming traffic.
There are two places where you can make a little time: Lamar Valley heading out of the NE entrance, west of Beartooth Pass, is open with usually little traffic, and the Sylvan Pass area, west of Cody, WY, usually is pretty good too, with some fun corners.
Sport: In order of sport/touring awesomeness, I would rate the roads surrounding YNP and GTNP in this order.
1. Beartooth. IMO North America’s premier sport-riding road, until I find something else I like better. Put it on your bucket list—you won’t be sorry.
2. Chief Joseph Scenic Byway. Spectacular scenery, awesome turns and terrain. Too bad they covered the whole thing in tar snakes….
3. HWY 26 between Swan Valley ID, Alpine WY and Hoback Junction WY. 50 miles cruising along Palisades Reservoir and the Snake River.
4. Sylvan Pass YNP to Cody, WY on HWY 20. Fun, fun, fun….
5. HWY 31 Swan Valley ID to Victor ID, then HWY 33 over Teton Pass to Jackson. Two passes, lots of nice turns. Teton Pass unfortunately usually has too much traffic these days.
6. HWY 191 West Yellowstone MT to Bozeman MT. Beautiful canyon ride.
7. HWY 32 Ashton ID to Driggs ID. Off the beaten path, if you head from Ashton to Driggs the Tetons will be right in front of you most of the way. High, rolling farmland.
Lodging: Everything inside YNP and GTNP is very expensive and sells out many months in advance. Better options are staying in towns just outside the park, although you’ll also get the major price gouge for location. Places to consider staying are West Yellowstone MT, Jackson WY, Cody WY, Cooke City/Silver Gate MT, Gardiner MT and Red Lodge MT.
In West Yellowstone I like the “City Center Motel”, although their rates have gone up. It’s basic, but right next door to an excellent pizza joint w/many beers on tap, right across the street from a grocery store, and there’s a casino across the street with live poker games. “West” has some touristy stuff like an IMAX and Grizzly Discovery Center, and it’s right at the entrance to the park. For the best breakfast anywhere try the Running Bear Pancake House in West.
Jackson is ritzy and expensive, but I like it. Lodging prices are steep, it’s got everything from five star dining to Wendy’s…. The town square is fun at night with the Cowboy Bar and the Wort, both usually have live bands. Tourists are everywhere.
Cooke City is a SMALL town. It’s a strip of a few motels, gas stations and restaurants/bars surrounded by massive mountains. It’s at the base of the Beartooth Pass and Chief Joseph Scenic Byway. I think it’s a great place to stay, if you just want a place to get some rest/food/drinks. I’ve stayed at the Cooke City Alpine Motel, it was very clean and the price was fair.
Cody is a bigger town with a lot of options. The Buffalo Bill Historical Center is a big deal--you can spend an entire day there. The have a whole museum devoted to American firearms. I haven’t stayed in Gardiner MT but it’s just outside the North Entrance to YNP and has several motels.
Red Lodge MT is at the bottom of the Beartooth, on the east side. I’m going to be staying there one night in July. Most motels are already booked for the season. It’s a touristy town with a pretty cool main street, and a very popular with bikers. The location is fantastic.
Venturing further out, you have the major regional cities of Billings, Bozeman, and Idaho Falls. In Bozeman I’ve stayed at the Best Western Grantree Inn which is really nice and has (had?) a free shuttle to take you downtown where all the restaurants/bars are. Billings is….well it’s near the Beartooth which is nice… If staying in Idaho Falls I’d recommend a hotel w/in walking distance of “historic downtown”.
One last thing—if you’re going to go through YNP or GTNP in June or early July, and plan on stopping and walking around, bring some good bug spray. At times the mosquitoes can be crazy, and they really hone in on sweaty, stinky bikers!
Spud
I live about an hour and a half of enjoyable riding from either the West Entrance of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) or the South Entrance of Grand Teton National Park (GTNP). As you might guess, I end up heading around the area a lot in the Spring/Summer/Fall on the FJR. Knowing a lot of forum members go to or through the area in the summer, I thought I’d give my take on it, FWIW….
The area: think if it as two different areas—YNP and GTNP, and the areas immediately surrounding. When you are in either YNP or GTNP, your FJR is a touring bike, not a sport bike.
Touring: The speed limit is 45 mph or lower in most of the park. Speeding in the park 1) runs you the risk of a ticket (rangers use radar a lot, and write a lot of tickets); 2) increases your risk of hitting a BIG animal, as they are everywhere; and 3) will leaving you feeling like an idiot when you come around a corner and have to stop at a traffic jam, letting everyone you just passed catch right back up.
The parks are big, the going is slow, and it just takes a lot of time to get through. Know that going in, and you won’t be frustrated. In 2012, almost 3.5 million people visited YNP. The roads are limited, and it’s crowded. The only time there’s little traffic is at night, as the crowds start heading in every day very early in the morning. One thing I’ve found you can get away with is slowly and carefully “cutting” the line if cars are piled up for a “critter traffic jam.” Just jump in the oncoming lane and slowly begin riding around the cars if there’s no oncoming traffic.
There are two places where you can make a little time: Lamar Valley heading out of the NE entrance, west of Beartooth Pass, is open with usually little traffic, and the Sylvan Pass area, west of Cody, WY, usually is pretty good too, with some fun corners.
Sport: In order of sport/touring awesomeness, I would rate the roads surrounding YNP and GTNP in this order.
1. Beartooth. IMO North America’s premier sport-riding road, until I find something else I like better. Put it on your bucket list—you won’t be sorry.
2. Chief Joseph Scenic Byway. Spectacular scenery, awesome turns and terrain. Too bad they covered the whole thing in tar snakes….
3. HWY 26 between Swan Valley ID, Alpine WY and Hoback Junction WY. 50 miles cruising along Palisades Reservoir and the Snake River.
4. Sylvan Pass YNP to Cody, WY on HWY 20. Fun, fun, fun….
5. HWY 31 Swan Valley ID to Victor ID, then HWY 33 over Teton Pass to Jackson. Two passes, lots of nice turns. Teton Pass unfortunately usually has too much traffic these days.
6. HWY 191 West Yellowstone MT to Bozeman MT. Beautiful canyon ride.
7. HWY 32 Ashton ID to Driggs ID. Off the beaten path, if you head from Ashton to Driggs the Tetons will be right in front of you most of the way. High, rolling farmland.
Lodging: Everything inside YNP and GTNP is very expensive and sells out many months in advance. Better options are staying in towns just outside the park, although you’ll also get the major price gouge for location. Places to consider staying are West Yellowstone MT, Jackson WY, Cody WY, Cooke City/Silver Gate MT, Gardiner MT and Red Lodge MT.
In West Yellowstone I like the “City Center Motel”, although their rates have gone up. It’s basic, but right next door to an excellent pizza joint w/many beers on tap, right across the street from a grocery store, and there’s a casino across the street with live poker games. “West” has some touristy stuff like an IMAX and Grizzly Discovery Center, and it’s right at the entrance to the park. For the best breakfast anywhere try the Running Bear Pancake House in West.
Jackson is ritzy and expensive, but I like it. Lodging prices are steep, it’s got everything from five star dining to Wendy’s…. The town square is fun at night with the Cowboy Bar and the Wort, both usually have live bands. Tourists are everywhere.
Cooke City is a SMALL town. It’s a strip of a few motels, gas stations and restaurants/bars surrounded by massive mountains. It’s at the base of the Beartooth Pass and Chief Joseph Scenic Byway. I think it’s a great place to stay, if you just want a place to get some rest/food/drinks. I’ve stayed at the Cooke City Alpine Motel, it was very clean and the price was fair.
Cody is a bigger town with a lot of options. The Buffalo Bill Historical Center is a big deal--you can spend an entire day there. The have a whole museum devoted to American firearms. I haven’t stayed in Gardiner MT but it’s just outside the North Entrance to YNP and has several motels.
Red Lodge MT is at the bottom of the Beartooth, on the east side. I’m going to be staying there one night in July. Most motels are already booked for the season. It’s a touristy town with a pretty cool main street, and a very popular with bikers. The location is fantastic.
Venturing further out, you have the major regional cities of Billings, Bozeman, and Idaho Falls. In Bozeman I’ve stayed at the Best Western Grantree Inn which is really nice and has (had?) a free shuttle to take you downtown where all the restaurants/bars are. Billings is….well it’s near the Beartooth which is nice… If staying in Idaho Falls I’d recommend a hotel w/in walking distance of “historic downtown”.
One last thing—if you’re going to go through YNP or GTNP in June or early July, and plan on stopping and walking around, bring some good bug spray. At times the mosquitoes can be crazy, and they really hone in on sweaty, stinky bikers!
Spud
