Accessible Biking around Jackson
Just minutes away from National Forests and Parks, Jackson Hole has incredible access to a wide variety of trails. The network of trails are like the veins and arteries of this place; they pump life and energy into our small town, they are the reason many people choose to visit, play, and live in Jackson. As a visitor, and especially one with a disability, it can be daunting to figure out what trails are safe and accessible for you. An accessible trail can mean a variety of things - The U.S. Accessibility Board has federal guidelines that help determine what makes a trail accessible, but in short, the surface (paved or compact dirt), the width, and the grade of the trail are some of the factors that determine a trail’s accessibility. You can read more about the guidelines here.
Last summer, the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board partnered with Teton Adaptive to create a guide to accessibility in Jackson Hole. It features information on accommodations, activities, and trails that everyBODY can enjoy. We wanted to highlight their work with a (non-comprehensive!) list of some of our favorite bike trails in Jackson Hole (and one in Teton Valley!)
Teton Park Road (GTNP) – The window is short, but the views and miles of road are incredible! From April 1st- April 30th, cyclists, walkers, rollerbladers and runners can enjoy the road without any cars. The road is closed all the way from Bradley Taggart to Signal Mountain, and includes the scenic Jenny Lake Loop.
South Shore of Jenny Lake (GTNP) – A section of paved pathways allow wheelchair users to explore the south shore of Jenny lake including rolling right up to the lake’s edge! Jenny Lake showcases some Teton Views and accessible trails that make the park a place for everyBODY.
Bradley-Taggart Trailhead (GTNP) – Grand Teton National Park allows for any mobility equipment on their trails. If you have an adaptive mountain bike, the trail to Bradley and Taggart Lakes is wide, smooth, and maintained to allow for adaptive mobility devices to travel to the lakes! The views of the Tetons are hard to beat.
Cache Creek Trailhead (Bridger-Teton) – For a more experienced adaptive mountain biker, Cache Creek trailhead offers a network of fun, flowy single track mountain biking. If you are still gaining comfort on your bike, simply biking up the road will give you great views of town, some elevation and practice navigating over rocky terrain.
Emily Stevens Park (Wilson) –Enjoy 3+ miles of gravel riding along the Snake River. This popular dog walking spot is a great lollipop ride that offers incredible views of the Tetons, and great wildlife spotting for moose, bald eagles, and maybe even an elk!
JH Pathways (Town) – Jackson Hole has an incredible network of bike paths that go North into Grand Teton National Park, as well as south of Town and through Wilson. Be mindful of current construction projects and be sure to share the road with walkers, rollerbladers, etc!
Mike Harris Trailhead (Teton Valley) – Just over Teton Pass, in Idaho, lies a fabulous network of flowy single track trails, perfect for Adaptive Mountain Biking. New aMTB athletes will find Mike Harris’s smooth trail more forgiving and easier to learn on than other trails.
Lucky Charm (JHMR) – A fully accessible, down hill mountain biking trail at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Lucky Charm is wide, and graded with an aMTB in mind. JHMR has been working to make their bike park fully accessible, and many trails are!
Where will you bike this summer!? Check our events calendar for community bike days, or schedule a lesson with us!
