Day 3 in Jackson Hole! Already we had enjoyed the mountain town of Jackson, WY on our first day in Wyoming, followed by exploring Grand Teton National Park on the second day; beginning it all with a fast float down the Snake River then hiking (some ~ 10+ miles) of GTNP. We ended it off with lunch at Jackson Lake Lodge and stops at scenic overlooks!
I had left our third day open in terms of scheduling so we could figure out what we might want to do when we got here. An idea was to drive to Yellowstone National Park. On my phone GPS and on google maps it gave us a drive time of about an hour and fifteen minutes, but that was to the southern entrance. Actually getting into the park and driving to visit sites, such as Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, we would’ve had to give a good solid two hours for the drive there, then be ready for more driving around the lower circle of the figure eight that is Yellowstone Grand Loop, stopping to park (in what can be crowded areas and trailheads) and doing some hiking. Plus, we’d then need to drive back that two+ hours to get back to Teton Village. Tomorrow I was running the marathon!
We decided we’d come back and dedicate a trip to just Yellowstone; today, we’re all about the Tetons! So, while flipping through an adventure-travel magazine given to us at the airport, my husband found an ad for mountain biking in the Caribou Targhee National Forest, on the other side of the Teton Mountains at The Grand Targhee Mountain Resort.
It’d be an hours drive. Not too bad. And once we were there, we’d rent some mountain bikes and explore Caribou-Targhee National Forest right away! Let’s do it!!! Can you see the Tetons in the distance as we’re driving around them?
Steep downhill on the Teton Pass! My husband drove this highway in the winter in blizzard conditions!!! White Knuckling!
The drive from Teton Village to Grand Targhee Mountain Resort starts by going south toward Wilson, then westward toward and into Idaho, driving around the Tetons, through the very cute town of Driggs, then going east back into Wyoming and upwards into Caribou-Targhee National Forest. We arrived around 9 a.m., Grand Targhee Mountain Resort! Ready to ride!
It was a very pretty and very mountainous drive! This weekend happened to be when the resort was hosting a mountain bike festival!! Pay a fee and you could demo a ton of different mountain bikes all weekend! It sounded perfect, however, for us it wasn’t economical. The mountain bike festival was just beginning that day, actually starting later around noon when you could get your bike. We were ready and wanted to ride now and we were only there that day, so we paid for a rental bike just as you would any other day. The bike store located at the resort was so awesome and so informative! I highly recommend renting a bike at Grand Targhee, and when you read and see the pics below, I highly recommend biking their trails!!!
Mountain biking is such a great Well-Fit workout with a ton of benefits! Check out this fantastic infographic below created by Ryan at GearForVenture.com Also below is a quote in his own words of how cycling and mountain biking go beyond the positive physical contributions!
“We all know that cycling and mountain biking are great sports for exercise and losing weight. However, did you realize that their benefits extend beyond just burning calories?
Biking has many other benefits for your mental well-being too, including boosting your mood and relieving stress.” – GearForVenture.com
Another graphic mentions similar benefits regarding cycling, which cycling and mountain biking are different sports I know, but I liked the last item…
That last benefit above about reducing roadkill, awesome point, but there is the chance of riding fast along the trail and coming up so fast on wildlife you don’t give them a chance to let them know you’re there as you would easier when hiking. Moose or a grizzly bear!! Case in point, video below. Although it is from Jasper Canada, the trails were similar and I had the same concern. You’ll see the bear charge the rider with the camera, then at 2:40 – 2:45 it charges his friend holding the bear spray and that’s where you can see a baby bear. I’m thinking the first rider was unknowingly headed right towards the baby so mama bear took after him.
Scary scary!!! With this in mind, Dan and I would yell, LOUD, every so often to be sure any bear, mama or baby, knew we were around and coming so they would go in a different direction. Away from our yell. “WHHHOOOAHHHHHHA!!!!!” Very LOUD. Dan goes mountain biking often where we live and people cross paths with Black bear while riding, as well as coyotes, so that’s what they do, they are loud!! We didn’t see any wildlife. Just the incredible beauty of nature!!!!
After on the trails for a while and seeing the magnificent beauty of the place we had to stop to get pics!
And at every stop I took advantage and snapped photos. While riding obviously I couldn’t snap pics and it was so beautiful, I loved every second of it!
We rode all morning, my quads burning, letting me know I was definitely getting a good workout in! By about 1 p.m. we were starving so we stopped back at Grand Targhee Resort lodge area for lunch. Ate at the Iron Grill with a table right at the base of the mountain. Beautiful view and blue sky, taking a nice break, I was loving it all! I ordered a roasted cauliflower salad with grilled chicken and it was damn good! Forgot to take a pic but I am still needing to duplicate it here at home!
Ready to get back at it, Dan reminded me of how to ride and position myself so I could prevent an injury. Through the morning, the trails were nicely groomed and smooth. The afternoon, unbeknownst to us at the time, we were to take trails that had a lot more rocks and roots. It was good we did the fun trails first or I would’ve been second guessing myself about being a mountain bike rider!
Looking at the Bike Park Map, we did all the blue and white zig-zag trails to the left in the morning, which were amazing! Aspen forests, wildflowers and some pines! After lunch we went over to the trails on the right side of the map, that’s where we got the great pic of the Tetons in the background! Overall we biked over 16 miles! Uphill and downhill then uphill and downhill, such a great well-fit workout!
Afterwards we had an IPA in the bar at the lodge before heading back to Teton Village!
Showered and dressed and headed over to the Jackson Hole Rodeo!
Fantastic day for My Whole Well-Being! Well-Fit and Well-Defined and so happy!!!! Tomorrow, ready to run the Jackson Hole Half Marathon!