Route Tucson to Glacier [AZ, UT, CO, WY, MT]

[Stefan_E]

Juan, I saved the route right as you described it. Sounds very nice. Colter Bay Campground has hiker/biker sites too, that would be a nice second stop in Grand Teton, right?

Oh yes, I am interested in a backcountry camp for a night. But I don't want to ask to much of you!

[jamawani]

Stefan -

Don't mind helping at all.
1st - - Do you know safe hiking/camping techniques in grizzly bear country.
Not have you glanced at an article. Do you know how to do everything necessary?
If you have ever eaten or cooked in your tent - you need a different one.
Remember, bears have a sense of smell 2000X that of humans. (Whose noses are basically useless.)
Do you know how to hang a pack 3-4m off the ground and 1.5m from any tree trunk?
Not easy - requires practice - but it's worth knowing.
Most cyclists don't want to ride with a heavy bear container.
At some national parks you can rent one for an overnight hike.
(Some parks do not allow hanging - they require bear containers -
probably because people didn't hang packs correctly and the bears got into food.)

BTW - Raccoons can be more of a pest than bears - but not as dangerous.

Developed campgrounds in national parks usually have bear storage bins.
National forest campgrounds sometimes have them, sometimes not.
(You might consider asking you neighbors if they would put your food in their car.)
If you wild camp, then you will definitely need to secure your food.

Speaking of food - that applies to anything that may have an attractive odor -
Food, cooking utelsils, beverage bottles, soap, toothpaste, chewing gum, etc.

When camping in the backcountry use a 100m triangle when possible.
Tent / Cooking & eating / Hanging trees - with your tent in the upwind location.

https://www.wta.org/go-outside/trail-smarts/how-to/hang-bear-bag-secure-food

I do wilderness hikes and backcountry camping as part of my tours.
It really adds so much more to the experience - even if it's only a single night.
I tour with a two-day, light backpack on the rear rack for this purpose.

Most larger national parks have hike-in backcountry sites.
The problem is where to leave your bike.
Even bigger problem - where to leave your gear.
Many time I leave the panniers in a campground bear box.
I intentionally choose one that seems out of the way and little used.
If the hiker/biker campground seems to have lots of bear boxes, I use those.

Here's a map of Yellowstone's backcountry sites:
https://www.nps.gov/maps/full.html?mapId=f926f448-9fe4-4600-b4c0-3f060737c87f
For cyclists the sites deep in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone work best -
i.e. You can leave your gear stored at the hiker biker campsites.
Plus the Backcountry Office is right there at Canyon.


While on tour I have hiked and backcountry camped in -
Golden Gate, Yosemite, Grand Escalante, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton,
Yellowstone, Glacier, Waterton, Banff, Jasper, Kluane, & Denali.
And others.

It sounds like you will have the time to do this.
Let's face it - the frontcountry campgrounds at national parks are like zoos.
(Better than most European campgrounds which are like parking lots.)

Pic - Great Plains N.P in southern Saskatchewan, 2001 - Note the crowds
In many western Canadian national parks you can cycle into the backcountry!

[Stefan_E]

I've been away for holidays.

Honest answer, so far I glanced at an article. But of course that doesn't suffice. I will practice it before I leave. Thanks a lot for the other tips, panniers, bear boxes and so on. Sounds great.