clengman

I'm leaving on a family trip to Yellowstone and Big Sky Montana. I'd like to do some bike riding while I'm there. I think I'm going to try to convince some of the others coming with us to do a little casual bike ride around the Old Faithful area (there's a bike rental at the lodge there.) When we're in Big Sky, I'd like to do some road riding on my own. I've found two shops in the town of Big Sky that rent road bikes. Just wondering if there's anyone familiar with the area that can recommend a nice route to take, or sights to see while I'm there. My starting point will be about a mile northeast of town. I'm looking for a route maybe 30-50 miles long (maybe longer if I can get enough time to myself). I'm not a super strong rider, but I'm reasonably fit. My regular commute home is 12 miles with about 1000ft of climbing. My most recent longish ride was 35 miles around Deep Creek lake in western Maryland with 2600 ft of climbing and some 9-10% grades. I appreciate any suggestions!

indyfabz

Ask the shops? Not too many paved roads in that area.

archfotos

You can ride out towards Ouzel Falls and back (flat) or continue up and around to the resort. Riding up to the ski resort is fun coming down. If you have nerves of steal you can ride down to West Yellowstone, small shoulders and #$%!#$% semis doing a gazillion miles an hour. Can't say riding in Yellowstone is much better with all the tourist traffic doing unpredictable things. Lots of rides down near Bozeman up to Bridger. You can grab a gravel bike and ride the taylor's fork road (if you have a rack to get the bike there) Or you could drive up to Earthquake lake (just north of W yellowstone) ride along that it's pretty. Not too many semis, but lots of drunken fisherman with boat trailers.

indyfabz

I have encountered them while touring in other parts of Montana. A few years ago I was camped at Divide. A couple of guys in the site next to mine came back to camp with a boat in tow. Got out of the truck with open beers in their hands. They were clearly drunk.

clengman

Thanks for the input! I won't really have a way to transport a bike so I think I'm limited to rides beginning and ending near town. I did send a message to the bike shop asking for advice. They did recommend the ride up to the resort, but said that there was likely to be construction traffic on 64. I am accustomed to riding in city traffic. Not sure what to expect with traffic on that main route up to the resort. I was also looking at some of the loop roads off of 64. I thought about adding a loop going up North Fork Rd and Ridge Road then continuing out one of the fire roads at the top of that hill and coming back down Old Toby Rd and Ridgeback Rd. I don't know how familiar you are with back roads in that area. Do you know what condition the fire roads are in? If I was able to get a road bike with low gearing and 35 or 38 mm tires do you think that loop would be manageable? Maybe a mountain bike would be better? But my hands get awfully numb when I ride for any length of time with flat bars. Anyway, there is another loop near the resort, Crow King/Summit View to Beehive Basin that I thought I could add in and then cruise on back on 64.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28194703

Does that look reasonable or are there problems I might run into on a route like that? Thanks again!