Getting Across South Dakota

[bbarrettx]

This depicts much more than South Dakota but here's what I came up with based on advice from those on this thread and traffic count maps. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19215437

Will be using AC maps from Minneapolis to Buffalo.

[jamawani]

I hasten to remind you that GoogleMaps is not necessarily your friend - esp. in the West.

[jamawani]

I'm guessing that you are staying at a condo in Sun Valley and another at Spring Ranch in Jackson.

But there are lot of little off-route squiggles and other routings onto nonexistent roads.
The most ridiculous - the service road to the toe of Buffalo Bill Dam - totally off limits.
Others, too. I would avoid bicycle mode in the West on RidewithGPS.
Also, make sure you are detailed enough to click on the road itself.

[bbarrettx]

Jamawani,

Thanks for pointing this out. I'm new to these GPS services. From the coast to ID it looks like I'm just on roads that I can follow with my old fashioned Rand Mcnally. From there to Devil's tower I was trying to follow your suggested route but I never looked at the turn by turn guidance. Let me know where I went wrong there and through SD if you could. Then the section from Minneapolis to Buffalo was just rough as I'll be getting the AC maps. I appreciate all your help with this. My last days of touring were when a Cat Eye cyclocomputer and FM Walkman were considered high tech so any guidance you have relative to the technology end of this would be awesome.

[jamawani]

Was that with Marco Polo on the Silk Road?  ;-)

[jamawani]

Let's start with Wyoming:

1. You need to use caution coming into Wyoming over Teton Pass - it is steep with fairly heavy traffic and so-so shoulders.
Because Jackson is so expensive, ordinary folks commute over Teton Pass - unbelievable! So morning and late afternoon are bad.

2. Are you staying at Spring Creek on top of East Gros Ventre Butte? Or did you just click in the wrong place?
Spring Gulch Road is actually a quiet way to head north - short unpaved section - but you miss any services in Jackson.
There is a bike trail from Jackson all the way into Grand Teton N.P.

3. Do you really aim to ride Antelope Flats Road on the east side of the park?
The bike trail takes you right to Jenny Lake where there is hiker/biker camping.
You can ride the wrong way on Jenny Lake Road - plus you should do a short walk for the views around String Lake.

4. In Yellowstone - You cannot ride on the long-closed trail you marked. You can ride along the lake and on Gull Point Road.
But why not take the lower loop from West Thumb to Madison, Norris, Canyon, and Fishing Bridge?
I mean, Old Faithful is a zoo, but the Firehole River and Norris and esp. the Canyon & Falls are fabulous.

5. Heading east out of the park - just stay on US 14/16/20 all the way to Cody.
There is a grizzly zone for forty miles from Fishing Bridge east with no tent camping.

6. You can take WY 30 thru Burlington (cafe/store/ask to camp) to Basin - much quieter.

7. Orchard Bench Rd south of Basin is a nice choice.

8. Do You really want to take the old, dirt highway up Tensleep Canyon?
It is reasonable, maybe a bit more shade, and has almost zero traffic if you are climbing slowly.
Also, they are doing construction on the main highway this summer.

9. Crazy Woman Canyon is spectacular but can be really muddy in spring. (Klondike Rd., too)
Staying on US 16 gives you those magical wildflower meadows in late June.

10. And stay on US 16 thru Buffalo - maybe checking out the little historic downtown.

11. What's the squiggle east of Arvada?

12. Stay on US 14/16 thru Gillette for services - then to WY 51.

13. What are you doing between Rozet and Moorcroft? Stay on US 14 thru Moorcroft - Donna's Cafe.

14. What are you doing around Keyhole Res? Stay on US 14 to Devils Tower Jct - some big hills.
Ripoff stores next to Devils Tower - Hulett is a nice country town.

Pic - Tensleep Canyon



14.

[bbarrettx]

Love the picture. Great info on Teton Pass and commuters. That's what's going on in Sun Valley as well from the South. Will hit that in the pm if possible. Any of the diversions that you mentioned were just the result of an analog guy using a digital system! I was just trying to follow the main roads and didn't even look at the turns. It was more of a macro effort to view the route in large scale.

As for Yellowstone, we're veterans of Old Faithful having visited multiple times between Sun Valley and CO. We'll likely just stay on the east side and head out towards Cody. Are there any roads out from Cody to Devil's Tower that won't be on the Rand McNally?

You had asked about Sun Valley in a previous post. We'll be staying with some friends out there for three nights.