GREAT PARKS BICYCLE ROUTE
The Great Parks Bicycle Route is a 2455 mile (3951 km) bicycle touring route that extends
from Jasper, Alberta, to Durango, Colorado. The route passes through Jasper National
Park, Banff National Park, Kootenay National Park, and Waterton Lakes National Park in
Canada. Crossing into the United States, the route passes through Glacier National Park,
Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park,
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, and Mesa Verde National Park before
arriving in Durango.
The Great Parks Bicycle Route was created and mapped by the Adventure Cycling
Association, an organization that promotes long-distance bicycle touring.
ROUTE
Great Parks North
Even in the height of summer in July, cyclists must be prepared for cold nights and
occasional snow in the higher elevations during storms. The Canadian parks, with their
wide road shoulders, provide excellent cycling conditions, though motorist traffic during
the tourist season is heavy. Towns outside the parks, such as Fernie, British Columbia,
offer information and ample opportunities for the off-road cycling enthusiast. Fascinating
side trips abound for natural and geological sightseeing, which include aerial trams,
hiking onto glaciers, and whitewater rafting. Allow extra time beyond bicycling for this
route. This route can be ridden from early summer to mid-fall. Going-to-the-Sun Road in
Glacier National Park is usually closed until early June. Note that snow can occur at any
time during the summer in the Rocky Mountains. Due to changing local conditions, it is
difficult to predict any major wind patterns.
The route begins in Jasper, Alberta, a busy tourist center in the heart of Jasper National
Park, one of the five Canadian Parks the route traverses. Yhe route passes glacial lakes,
dramatic waterfalls, piercingly steep mountains covered with glaciers, and a tremendous
variety of wildlife. After 230 miles, the route leaves Kootenay National Park and descends
into the town of Radium Hot Springs. From Radium Hot Springs southward to Elko, the
western side of the Rockies offers gentler cycling following the Columbia and Kootenay
river systems. At Elko, the route turns east over the Continental Divide through a series of
small mining communities. The prairies begin on the eastern slope and traverse the
foothills through Waterton Lakes National Park, another mountain jewel of the Canadian
Parks. The border crossing into the United States at Chief Mountain is only open from
mid-May through mid-September, entering into Glacier National Park, crossing the Divide
back to the western side on the spectacular Going-to-the-Sun Road. There are no major
climbs or descents after leaving the park, and the route mainly follows river valleys
bracketed by mountain ranges all the way into Missoula, Montana.
Terrain
The northern portion of the route is a series of climbs/descents over passes into various
river valleys. In the south, the route stays in the valleys and experiences a more rolling
terrain. The route crosses the Continental Divide three times.
Great Parks South
The route traverses a continuous setting of dramatic mountain scenery, national forests,
parks, monuments, and many climbs and descents over passes. Off-road
mountain-biking opportunities abound at the various ski areas along the route, which
offer singletrack riding on quiet forest trails, serviced by bustling tourist villages. This
route can be ridden from early summer to mid-fall. Trail Ridge Road is closed between
October and June. Note that snow can occur at any time during the summer in the Rocky
Mountains. Due to changing local conditions, it is difficult to predict any major wind
patterns. Altitude sickness can slow some riders, so preparation for the high altitude is
important. Arriving early a few days before beginning a trip is a good way to acclimate.
The route begins in northern Colorado in the ski town of Steamboat Springs. After a
difficult climb out of Steamboat Springs to Rabbit Ears Pass, the route passes through
open grazing land and national forest lands heading into Kremmling, Colorado. There is
heavy summer tourist activity from Hot Sulpher Springs to Granby, the southern entrance
to Rocky Mountain National Park. Traffic is heavy throughout the park, and the terrain is
extreme. From Estes Park to Georgetown, this area is a tourist destination for not only
Denver and surrounding communities on the Front Range but also much of the nation.
Communities from Keystone to Breckenridge have become major year-round tourist
destinations, and so experience traffic and recreational vehicles. South of Fairplay, the
route becomes more rural and traverses the high, open land of South Park. After crossing
Trout Creek Pass, the route drops into the Arkansas River Valley near Buena Vista. The
western slope of the Colorado Rocky Mountains is old mining country, from Salida all the
way into Durango. Around Dolores, the mountains give way to the dry, open Four Corners
region, highlighted by Mesa Verde National Park. Durango, Colorado is the southern
terminus of the historic Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, the only
remaining regularly scheduled narrow-gauge passenger train in the United States.
Terrain
This route crosses eleven mountain passes, and six of these are over the Continental
Divide. The highest point is at 12,183 feet in Rocky Mountain National Park. The route
follows a few river valleys, but for the most part it is either climbing or decending.
