Biking

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Kelly Canyon

Located near Ririe, Idaho, the Kelly Canyon area has a small-town vibe for all mountain activities. There’s a wide variety of trails with options for riders of all skill levels. The area is separated into on-resort trails, and off-resort trails. 

Sidewinder trail is a beginner-friendly, 2.5-mile loop that offers great views of the surrounding hills and valleys. Cliffhanger Trail is an intermediate-level 3-mile loop that takes riders through a dense forest and offers some challenging technical sections. The advanced level Rendezvous trail is a 6-mile loop that features steep climbs, technical descents, and tight switchbacks. Kelly Canyon Resort also offers several options for downhill mountain biking with lift access.

South Fork Trails

There are a multitude of trails around Swan Valley, Idaho, where the South Fork of the Snake River runs through. This area has incredible mountain biking opportunities, and is generally less busy than some of the other trail systems on this list.

In this area, there are trails fit for all skill levels including Rainey Creek Trail, which is great for intermediate level riders. Rainey Creek is 10 miles long and known for its scenic beauty, wildflowers, and challenging terrain. Another option is Grove Creek Trail which is a shorter 3 mile long trail, best for beginner to intermediate level riders. Grove Creek is well-maintained and offers some beautiful scenery, including views of the surrounding forests and the creek itself. Sheep Creek is a great choice for advanced level riders, with a trail that is approximately 17 miles long. This trail features steep climbs and descents, technical rocky sections, and several creek crossings.

Wherever you decide to ride, be sure to stop at Rainey Creek Country Store on your way out for Swan Valley’s signature square ice cream.

Grand Targhee Resort

Grand Targhee Resort, located in Alta, Wyoming, is a popular destination for mountain biking in the summer months. The resort offers over 70 miles of singletrack trails that wind through the surrounding mountains and valleys, with options for riders of all skill levels. This is an iconic destination with close up views of the Grand Tetons. Rick’s Basin, Andy’s Trail, and Mill Creek Trail are a few of the favorite routes at the resort. 

In addition to these trails, Grand Targhee Resort also offers several options for downhill mountain biking. The resort’s lift-served bike park provides access to a variety of downhill trails, with features such as jumps, drops, and banked turns. This is the perfect area for someone looking for great riding and views, without the very large crowds Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has been known to get. 

Harriman State Park

Harriman State Park is located near Island Park, ID. Once a private hunting reserve owned by the Harriman family, this park was donated to the state of Idaho in 1977. Harriman State Park offers a range of biking trails for riders of all levels, with beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife to enjoy along the way. 

Trails like Harriman Trail and Riddle Lake Trails are perfect for beginners and families alike with relatively flat, yet scenic trails. If you’re looking for a ride that’s a bit more technical, be sure to check out Robinson Creek Trail.  This 8.5 mile long trails offers beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and forests, and has intermediate-level features such as rock gardens and switchbacks.


Two Top Mountain

Mount Two Top is the highest mountain in the Island Park area with an elevation of 10,144 ft. There are a few ways to get to the peak of Two Top, but the primary route for mountain bikes is through two top divide. The full length of this trail is around 16 miles, but can be completed as a point-to-point ride or as an out-and-back once you reach the summit. The trail takes riders through a variety of landscapes, from open meadows to dense forests and rocky ridges while offering incredible views of the surrounding mountains. 

Two Top Divide is considered a difficult trail with an elevation gain of around 2,000 ft, including steep climbs, technical descents, and rocky terrain. It’s a great route for the seasoned rider looking to get a birds-eye view of Island Park and the Greater Yellowstone Area.

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

On the opposite side of the Teton Range is Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR). This resort is world renowned for their terrain in both winter and summer month activities. There is an abundance of trails for all skill levels, but JHMR has developed a reputation for their incredible bike parks.

JHMR also offers youth camps, bike rentals, and even private mountain bike park guides who can get you prepared for singletrack riding in no time. If you happen to visit on a Sunday, be sure to check out the resort’s Sunday Bike Park Challenge, where prizes are awarded to the riders with the most downhill vertical feet of the day.

Sun Valley Resort

Located in Ketchum, ID, Sun Valley Resort is one of the top resorts in the state. The The resort is operated on Bald Mountain, which currently holds the longest purpose-built downhill trail in the country. The chairlift provides access to trails with over 3,100 vertical ft, and a variety of trails are available for all-skill levels. This resort provides sweeping views of the Sawtooth Mountains, making it one of the prettiest commercial biking destination in the state. Alongside lift-accessed downhill trails, the resort also hosts a number of uphill hike and bike trails. 

What makes Sun Valley Resort special is not only their biking access, but the town of Ketchum itself. Great dining, shopping, and tourist opportunities can easily be found, and theres a cornucopia of other recreation just a stone’s throw away from Ketchum. 

Wood River Trail System

The Wood River Trail is a 20-mile multi-purpose paved path that runs through the heart of Sun Valley–from Ketchum to Bellevue. Once an abandoned Union Pacific railway, a group of citizens pushed to convert the rail to a trail due to its arterial orientation through the valley. The Wood River Trail is great for families, not only because of the smooth pavement, but because it also showcases pieces of Sun Valley’s historic development along the route. This is the perfect trail for little ones, larger family gatherings, or if you’re simply looking for a relaxing cruise near the river. If you’d like to cover some miles on the trail, but didn’t bring a bike, don’t worry. There are plenty of rental shops available throughout the valley who can get you and your family geared up for a memorable cruise.

White Clouds & Corral Creek

White Clouds and Corral Creek are two of the more mellow rides in the Sun Valley Area. These are perfect trails for casual family outings, or for the beginner looking to get accustomed to a new bike. 

White Clouds Loop was formed by The Sun Valley Company to provide accessible, beginner-friendly trails to visitors and locals who are new to mountain biking. The 5-mile loop is connected through a variety of dirt and paved trails, offering panoramic views of Ketchum and Bald Mountain.

If single tracks with a dynamically changing setting are more your speed, then Corral Creek is definitely worth considering. Starting the trail in sage brush fields and aspen meadows, you eventually become surrounded by lush pines. This 2.7 mile out-and-back trail is a great option for riders looking for a less developed single track experience, not far from Sun Valley.

Fisher Creek Loop

This 17-mile loop is one of the highest rated trails in Idaho. It’s an engaging trail that winds through wildflower meadows and the remains of a lush forest scarred by fire years ago, never straying too far from a great view of the Sawtooths. 

Fisher Creek Loop has been rated as an intermediate-level trail, not because of the track conditions, but because of the consistent climbs through the loop. And although the climbs are long and plentiful, there’s an overwhelming abundance of rewarding vistas, bizarre scenery, and phenomenally flowing descents. For more details on the trail, terrain, directions, and more, click the link below. 

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