Last Saturday proved to be excellent weather for bicycling into Yellowstone National Park. In the spring, from about mid-March to the third Friday in April, the park is open to foot traffic and bicyclists only between Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyo., and West Yellowstone. If the weather is good, it’s a great ride and maybe one of the least crowded times in a park that sees about 3 million visitors a year. We pedaled from Mammoth to West, a distance of about 48 miles. It took us about four hours, with an hour’s worth of stops along the way to photograph the scenery and the wildlife — including a grizzly bear grazing alongside the road. A lot of people just ride in a ways and turn around, rather than make the journey all the way across. Yellowstone opened to vehicle traffic on Friday, heralding the beginning of the summer season. Now’s a great time to visit, since there’s so little traffic. In about a month, though, more facilities will be open and baby bison should be visible.
Here’s a link to my story that ran Thursday: http://billingsgazette.com/lifestyles/recreation/bicycle-only-season-in-yellowstone-national-park-offers-unique-ride/article_be6b0d3c-9c17-52f6-afc5-6b99cb64fd03.html
This post was provided by Brett French, Billings Gazette Outdoors Editor
