So, while working on a recent video about visiting some National Parks in south-west USA I decided to do a write up about the ones I've biked (or hiked) through since I started cycling in April 2014.
Denali, Wrangell-St. Elias, Kluane, Jasper, Banff, Waterton, Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Canyonlands, Arches, Grand Canyon, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Death Valley and Yosemite.
DENALI NATIONAL PARK
(Alaska)
Some Croatians looking for wolves up the mountains.
The only way to do the 90 mile park road is to take a tour bus... or a bicycle! After watching a 45 minute video on backcountry safety and getting your permit you hop on the fairly busy 15 mile paved section.
At about mile 23 you begin wondering where the road goes. Start looking ahead and think "No... not this way..."
...and then it doesn't matter where the it goes, because you can't see it anyway!
but sometimes you can. Which makes all the difference.
Camping is a little tricky if you don't want to stay in the campgrounds. As a cyclist, you need to hide your bike out of sight and hike 1 mile off the road. You cannot be in sight of the road. (mainly because those tour buses are full of tourists with binoculars and if they spot you they will make the bus stop). Still. Definitely worth doing some backcountry camping.
Denali brings people from all over the world and also brings out the best in people. Photographers, film makers, the staff, hikers, even the gravel truck driver pulled over to apologize for passing by me too fast.
another day on the job!
A photographer from Anchorage
Two hikers/hitchhikers from Arizona
But what brings people here is the wildlife. Being on a bike, you can spend as much time as you want looking at that moose in the distance or that fox down in the ditch which ignores the tour bus and just looks at you. You can get neck cramps from staring up at eagles and wish you saw that grizzly 100m down the road before you stopped for lunch.
Even when you turn to go back, it seems that Denali (meaning "the tall one") is following you.
Best time to go: Anytime! (I'd personally prefer mid-september when the tour buses stop running)
Logistics: BYOB (bring your own bike) or rent one from McKinley Village. You can either camp or section ride it (and shuttle back and forth with the bus). Park HQ has lockers to store extra gear and loans out bear proof cannisters. Plenty of rivers along the way for water.
WRANGELL-ST. ELIAS NATIONAL PARK
(Alaska)
Via the less-popular Nabesna Mine road. 44 miles one way. You can leave extra gear at the ranger station in the start (highly recommended - rough road). I only saw about 10-20 cars over the 3 days I was there... during the "busier" hunting season.
No big mountain passes like Denali but the ride feels very remote and "out there". There are few lodges in the park where you can buy a meal or even a room... but why would you want to be inside in such an amazing place!
Side hikes to old volcano, mines and even multi-day trips if you are into that. It's very easy to hide your bike out of sight at the trailheads and go hiking. (just remember where you hide it...). Few creek crossings which can be tough to do in spring.
An old volcano
View from one of the abandoned mines
Mount Sanford
KLUANE NATIONAL PARK
(Yukon)
The park is pretty much on your left as you go from Destruction Bay to Haines Junction and Haines. All paved road but there are many hikes where bikes are allowed! Definitely worth riding and spending extra time to get closer to some of these huge glaciers.
JASPER AND BANFF NATIONAL PARKS
(Alberta, via Icefields Parkway)
140 miles of some of the best riding in the Rockies. The problem: it's pretty busy. Solution: go in October. Most campgrounds are closed (AKA: free camping, with bear proof storage!), less traffic and the mountains have some fresh snow. Bring food for the entire ride, unless you want to pay for $20 dollar burgers at tourist places on the way. Great hiking along the way!
Also, the Great Divide Mountain Bike route starts off in Banff, there is amazing singletrack along the way!
Can't figure out where the photos went, but here is a video of the ride:
WATERTON LAKES NATIONAL PARK
(Alberta)
To get there, highway 6 is nearly flat with amazing views of the Rockies along with countless hay rolls and big skies.
Waterton lake has a small town and you could even spent a night in that castle (top left) if you can afford it.
If you want to rejoin the GDMBR there is an easy way up to a pass. (the woman who took that photo actually had her baby in a stroller!)
and then all downhill on an amazing singletrack. As usual, obey rule #1 for when you don't have a map: follow the bigger roads and eventually you will intersect GDMBR at Butts Cabin.
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK
(Montana)
Well... I had no plans to visit this one but the people I was staying with told me the road is closed to cars... but open to bikes. It was mid October and me and Thom cycled up and down Going to the Sun Road (Although it felt more like Going to the Clouds). Amazing mountains and I hope I get a chance to return and do some hiking there.
(summers can be super busy... campgrounds fill as early as 8am.)
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
(Wyoming)
Definitely go in October, when the roads are closed to cars but open to bikes. Beat the summer heat and park roads described as "a zoo" or "parking lot".
Go for a dip with the Elk...
Or hang out with the bison...
But don't get too close... these two were around a tight corner on a trail.
Definitely a wonderful place in fall/winter. Bring lots of food, no services after West Yellowstone until Jackson...
GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK
(Wyoming)
There is easy cycling around the park on paved bike paths and roads. But you need to watch out for moose. Those things can be dangerous!
Although you can't climb any of the tetons in winter, it's a good time to visit in my opinion. Watch the sunset over Jenny lake...
And take timed selfies with the Tetons.
BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON
(COLORADO)
Nothing makes you dizzy like 3000ft vertical cliffs. There is a scenic paved (and unpaved) roads accessing both North and South sides. Accessing North side by bike features free camping (and power outlets at the ranger station to charge your camera!). Here is a video of the park (opens in new window)
if not, this selfie stick photo would work.
CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK
(UTAH)
Fall, winter or spring. You don't want to be pedaling here in the summer. From Moab it takes a day to get there and a day back. 1-2 days to ride & hike around the park. There are cool arches and craters you can visit.
Or if you are feeling particularly adventurous, The White Rim trail.
Although I had to settle for Lockhart Basin Road.
"Road"
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK
(UTAH)
Closer to Moab than Canyonlands but just as much if not more hill climbing. A lot of amazing hikes and camping in the park.
Be sure to line up to take a picture of...
The Delicate Arch.
and if it gets dark on the way back and the people offering you a ride don't have space in the car... (think of a good explanation if you get pulled over on the highway!)
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
(Arizona)
This one I did without a bike as they aren't allowed in the canyon, although there are hundreds of people each year that carry their bikes on their backs through it (Arizona trail race). The north side had amazing sunsets.
Rim to rim is about 2-3 days (can certainly day hike it if you are in a rush).
Even in the winter, the bottom is pretty warm.
...and going up the switchbacks...
Makes you wish you had one of these! (hat & glasses not included)
CAPITOL REEF
(Utah)
There is a paved scenic drive near the park HQ and plenty of hiking. But you can also take Nottom road.
Go up... err push your bike up Burr Trail
and 3 mile canyon road, covered in 1 foot of powder.
Just for that one sunrise.
BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK
(UTAH)
There is a paved road going through the park but I only made it to sunset point. And came back another time for a short hike in the rain.
ZION NATIONAL PARK
(Utah)
In summer, the only way to get into the main part of the park is by bus or bike. In winter, there isn't much traffic anyway. Great hiking and climbing all around the park.
The Narrows are great in the summer. The further in you go, the less crowds. The entrance feels like a subway station in Toronto... Except half the people carry sticks and it's in the water.
And Angel's landing - anytime!
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
(California)
With temperatures as high as 120 degrees in summer, you need to be a fool to show up then. But that doesn't stop people from running 135 miles from Badwater basin to Mt. Whitney.
Instead of following the pavement, the idea is to follow the backroads to colorful rock formations and secluded hotsprings.
It's in those remote valleys where burros abandoned after the old mines had shut down make their home.
But donkeys were not the only friends I made there. Those rough and remote roads, these tiny specks in the endless valleys attract a certain kind of crowd. Out of all the places, I met so many amazing people in this remote and forgotten land.
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
(California)
So, I was almost there but there was one problem: should I do a the ~500 mile route through the Sierra Nevada Range or try to go over Tioga Pass which is 10 000ft and closed in winter.
I am not going to go into details (but you can HERE) but it took 4 days to cover 45ish miles mostly on snow.
I get to the main road, victorious! Ready to celebrate... then the rangers pull me over. Apparently there were rangers at Toulumne Meadows and they were chasing me on cross country ski. I walk off with a $125 ticket for having a bicycle in a wilderness area.
Paved road with snow is considered wilderness in winter. They later dropped it and told me it should have been "Disobeying road closure" but they gave me a warning. As if I'd do that again :)
nd then the valley. Oh man, I can't describe it, so I'll let somebody else do it.