Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Summary
Explore the incredible riparian landscape on a short mountain-bike ride.
The gravel River (RKO) Rd parallels the west side of the
Snake River
between Signal
Mountain and Cottonwood Creek. Those doing the ride one way can park at the turn-out
near
Cottonwood Creek
. There is no shade here and it gets quite hot in summer, so bring
plenty of water or bike early. Wildlife is prolific, especially bison. Maintain a safe dis-
tance of 300ft and never pass through them. Wait until they move away or bike around.
Be prepared for a bumpy, uneven ride. The road parallels braided channels of the scenic
Snake River, one of the most heavily used rivers in the west. Binoculars would be useful
here: the river is critical habitat for beaver and river otter. Osprey and eagle are here too,
fishing for cutthroat trout, and moose and deer frequent the willows. The track rejoins
Teton Park Rd
just south of the Signal Mountain Rd turnoff. Arrange a vehicle shuttle or
be prepared to cycle the 12 miles south on the paved Teton Park Rd back to Cottonwood
Creek.
Shadow Mountain
Duration
2½-3 hours
Distance
6-mile loop
Difficulty
Difficult
Elevation Change
1300ft
Start/Finish
Antelope Flats Rd (
Click here
)
Nearest Junction
Moose Junction
Summary
Challenge yourself with this strenuous but quick ascent and descent.
Just east of the park in Bridger-Teton National Forest, the forested
Shadow Mountain
of-
fers a strenuous 6-mile round-trip loop. Set off along a gravel road from the parking lot at
the end of paved Antelope Flats Rd. A steady climb, the road is rutted and rocky at points.
Open sections offer excellent Teton views. Just over 0.5 miles past the summit there's a
single-track path to the left. It splits, but your best option is to stay left, although all trails
do lead to the bottom. Be alert as fallen logs cross the path in places. After this exciting
downhill run join the fire road. Watch for muddy conditions, which make this section a lot
trickier. A webbed network of trails here means it is easy to get turned around. For topo-
graphical maps, visit Hoback Sports (
Click here
)
in Jackson.
