GREAT PARKS NORTH
Even in the height of summer, cyclists must be prepared for cold nights and occasional snow in the higher elevations.
The Canadian parks, with their wide road shoulders, provide excellent cycling conditions, though motorized 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. So, allow extra time beyond bicycling for these activities. This route should be ridden from early summer to mid-fall.
Going-to-the-Sun Highway in Glacier National Park is usually closed until early June (and has limited hours for cyclists). 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. You will be amazed by the scenery: glacial lakes, dramatic waterfalls, piercingly steep
mountains covered with glaciers, and a tremendous variety of wildlife; you will stop frequent just to marvel at the beauty. Be sure to ride
cautiously among the tourists in recreational vehicles. As you head south, over several passes through the parks, take the time to
go to Lake Louise and Banff, which both offer a wide variety of tourist services and charm. After 230 miles of amazing vistas, you'll leave
Kootenay National Park and descend steeply into the town of Radium Hot Springs. Stop for an enjoyable soak in the soothing hot mineral
pools. 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. You'll see
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, and then
you're in Glacier National Park in Montana, crossing the Divide back to the western side on the spectacular Going-to-the-Sun Highway.
You'll find 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.
Terrain
The northern portion of the route is a series of climbs/descents over passes into various river valleys. In the south, you'll stay in the
valleys and experience a more rolling terrain. The route crosses the Continental Divide three times.
Logistics
To begin this route, Jasper can be reached by rail service from Edmonton, Alberta. Along its entire length, small towns at regular
intervals provide ample services, but plan ahead due to crowded tourist conditions, especially in the Canadian Park System and in Glacier
National Park. Reservations at both hostels and campgrounds are recommended. For off-road bicycling and primitive camping, a water purifier
is necessary.
GREAT PARKS SOUTH
The cyclist is rewarded by 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 hills 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 you down, so preparation for the high
altitude is important. Arriving a few days before your trip begins is a good way to acclimate.
The route begins in northern Colorado in the ski town of Steamboat Springs. After a gut-busting climb out of Steamboat Springs to Rabbit
Ears Pass, you'll find open grazing land and national forest lands heading into Kremmling. 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 the playground for Denver, the surrounding communities on the Front Range and
also much of the nation. Communities from Keystone to Breckenridge have become major year-round tourist destinations, so be prepared for
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 is the southern terminus of the historic Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge
Railroad, the only remaining regularly scheduled narrow-gauge passenger train.
Terrain
On this route, you will cross eleven mountain passes, and six of these will be 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 you will be either climbing or
decending.
Logistics
In Colorado, high-altitude services from campground water to grocery stores can shut down early in the autumn depending on weather. A water
purifier is recommended. Due to high levels of tourist activity in the summer, reservations for accommodations and campgrounds are
recommended.
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