Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Biking the Teton National Forest's Flagstaff Road


Flagstaff Road is a gravel backroad off of Highway 287/26 just east of Togwatee Pass.  This remote forest service road is very lightly traveled, and since it begins near the pass, it loses about 1500 feet in elevation as you bike down it.  There are a couple uphill segments, but they are rare and not insurmountable, and the breathtaking alpine scenery you will experience makes it all worthwhile!  Here are a few photos to demonstrate what I mean...



Mountain vistas, dense stands of conifers, lush alpine meadows, wildflowers galore, and clean mountain air will enchant you as you follow Flagstaff Creek down the mountainsides past Lily Lake and over to Sagebrush Flats.


Keep your eyes open to the right, and when you see what looks like a seldom used double-track heading a bit uphill, take it to near the top, and you'll see an enticing single-track trail on your left.  Five of us in our group ventured onto it and were not sorry, as it took us through even more remote and beautiful scenery for about 4 miles. as seen in these two photos...





The single-track ends back at Flagstaff Road so you can meet up with less adventurous colleagues and continue your downhill ride.

Flagstaff Road ends at the same Highway 287/26 as you began at, right near the Blackrock Ranger Station.

1 comment:

Mumbles said...

Hubby and I used to spend a fair bit of time in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and, of course, Utah (where we lived). Not biking, but hiking, backpacking, and camping. I'm really loving the beautiful shots you've got here--thank you!

Kris