Ride Pinedale for year round cycling on terrain that varies from daring to idyllic. Experience mountain trails, gravel two track, paved paths, and groomed snow trails in winter.
Cycling in Pinedale is a year round scenic adventure for you and the whole family.
If you’re looking to fill your cycling bingo card, Pinedale your Swiss army knife cycling location. Blessed with a rare combination of terrain, amenities, and small town goodness, Pinedale is the place to do whatever you like to do on a bike. There are more than 15 miles of paved bike paths in and around town. We also see, on average, 235 days of sun per year and have a full service bike shop with an assortment of rentals right next to a microbrewery with a terrace and an ice cream shop. It’s like we built the place just for cyclists!
Let’s take a look at the cycling options you can choose from in Pinedale:
A Cyclists Paradise
Wyoming Mountain Range
The Wyoming Range is perfect for a family of mountain bikers due to its scenic riding trails on the easier side of the scale.
Popular riding areas and trails include Horse Creek (a lovely stream lined with grass and through a scenic valley), the Greys River Valley (a stream lined with pine trees and surrounded by towering mountains), Middle Piney (a beautiful lake with dirt trails and many postcard photo opportunities), Bare Pass (grassy, hilly with looming red rocks), North and South Cottonwood Creeks (a rocky, forested area great for fishing), and the South Fork of North Horse Creek (an old logging road that leads uphill to an impressive view). For scenic, calm rides, you can’t go wrong in the Wyoming Range.
Green River
The Upper Green River Valley area on the Bridger-Teton National Forest has many popular riding trails within Boulder Basin, Gypsum Creek, Roaring Forks, Tosi and Kinky Creeks, Teepee Creek and Union Pass. Elk Ridge in particular offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountain ranges. Be aware that the Upper Green River Valley is grizzly bear country, and encounters with these animals are possible.
Year Round Biking Options
Mountain Biking
XC mountain biking is abundant in Pinedale. The BLM Field Office in Pinedale administers approximately 924,000 acres of public land so you can pretty much jump in the saddle, pick a direction and go. Two tracks abound and you could literally ride a lifetime here and never touch the same spot of Earth twice. The Green River Lakes area is particularly expansive with campgrounds and local lodging to serve as a base camp. The downhill scene is emerging quickly as local bike club continues to work with the Forest Service to cut in new trails.
Fat Tire Biking
You can ride a fat bike on about anything, but there’s nothing like riding on snow. Pinedale has 15 miles of groomed, shared use trails between the White Pine/Kelly Park and CCC Pond trails and new single-track fat bike trails in the White Pine/Kelly Park trail system. Up for a challenge? Pinedale is home to The Drift, a winter race for cyclist, cross country skiers and runners that includes 13, 28 and 100 mile courses on snow.
Gravel Biking
If there’s a hidden gem in the Pinedale cycling scene, it’s definitely gravel grinding. Gravel roads are common in Wyoming and there are many that are used to access hiking and camping areas, so it’s easy to pair your gravel ride with a day hike or overnight camping. The ride to Willow Lake from Pinedale is easy to access from town and great introduction to the gravel roads in the area. It’s 24 miles round trip with great views
Bikepacking
Pinedale is well known to bikepacking enthusiasts, as it is located directly on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR). It’s the perfect base for trips from 2-7 days. The ride from Pinedale to Dubois over Union Pass is encompasses a section of the GDMBR. Head south to Atlantic City and you will pick up another section of the GDMBR and a Wyoming State Historical Site. If you want to combine bikepacking and fly fishing, there might not be a better place in the world to access blue ribbon trout fishing on a bike.
Road Biking
Not all roads are created equal when it comes to road cycling. Wyoming roads tend to be very cyclist friendly with wide shoulders and quality tarmac. This is particularly true of the roads in and around Pinedale. For example, if you are looking for a great climb, take Skyline Drive from Pinedale to the Elkhart Park Trailhead. Its 16 miles (one-way) and 2300 feet of elevation gain that includes beautiful views of the Wind River Range, the Wyoming Range, Fremont Lake and Half Moon Lake. The cruise back to town feels like a zip line on two wheels.
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