Warm River Rails to Trails Bike Ride

Railroad Right-of-Way Trail

Ashton Idaho

Locals (Ashton Idaho) call it the Warm River Trail due to the fact that it follows the Warm River for the first 7 miles.  In the Ashton the trail head in located in the Warm River Campground located off Scenic Hwy 47 about 10 miles north of Ashton.

The Railroad Right-of-Way Trail winds through the pristine wilderness of Idaho's Targhee National Forest. The sprawling forest is a unit of the even larger Caribou-Targhee National Forest, which borders famous Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.

Built on a former railroad corridor that once provided tourist access from Idaho Falls, Idaho, to West Yellowstone, Montana, the trail parallels Warm River for a few miles from its south trailhead at Warm Springs Campground. About 3 miles north of the campground, a short tunnel—original to the railroad—leads through a steep piece of terrain. Unfortunately, the tunnel suffered a cave-in in 2008, so access is prohibited. The trail has been rerouted just to the east, providing closer views of the Warm River.

The overall trail length is 34 miles that runs from Ashton to the Montana State line near West Yellowstone Idaho.  The trail surface is gravel/ballast.  Parts of this trail is open to ATV traffic. 

My ride was the first 7 miles starting at the Warm River Campground.  I rode out 7 miles and returned for a total of 14 miles.  I did not encounter any other people on the trial I had it to myself…except the moose and bear I saw along the way. 

Being new to the Gravel Bike Riding and Rails to Trails my description of the trail my not be completely accurate or even a fair description.  That said I will give my best description and condition of the trail….The trail for the most part was pretty well packed gravel/ballast with a few larger rocks thrown in to keep you alert and focused on the trail.  There were a few small pot holes but they were few and far between.  Several area did have some loose gravel that required a little more attention to the path of the bike.  The section of trial I rode was dry and it made an enjoyable ride.  Even if it had been raining and the trail had been wet it would have been no real challenge to ride.  In the 7 miles out I had an elevation gain of just over 600 feet.  The 600 feet in 7 miles was a very gradual incline that was hardly noticed on the incline but made the return to the tail head a pretty much downhill coast very little peddling on the return.

The scenery along the trail in the fall was breath taking.  Riding this trail in early fall was one of the best bike rides I had made.  The leaves were in full color and the weather was near perfect.  The ride along the river was at an elevation above the river to give spectacular views of the river and surrounding landscape.  I stopped often along the ride to take in the views and was fortunate enough to have seen a moose feeding along the bank on the opposite side of the river on the way out.  On the return trip I also spotted a bear on the opposite side of the river in the edge of the woods.  The one question I asked myself was if the bear is on the other side are bears on this side that I did not see…

I pointed out earlier that I have just started with the gravel bike riding switching from the road bike.  I enjoyed my time on the road but it was more about distance and average speed and hill climbing.  With my gravel bike riding I am still focusing on distance and hill climbing with average speed not having the same value for me.  I enjoyed the scenery when riding on the road/paved trails but with the gravel bike I have found that I am riding in areas that have more and different views with plenty of places to stop and enjoy the views.  The next step in my gravel riding is bring along my camera and take some better pictures.  In the past I have only used my cell phone for ride pictures and in the future I plan to take a better camera and get more and better photos of the trails.  

Locals (Ashton Idaho) call it the Warm River Trail due to the fact that it follows the Warm River for the first 7 miles.  In the Ashton the trail head in located in the Warm River Campground located off Scenic Hwy 47 about 10 miles north of Ashton.

The Railroad Right-of-Way Trail winds through the pristine wilderness of Idaho's Targhee National Forest. The sprawling forest is a unit of the even larger Caribou-Targhee National Forest, which borders famous Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.

Built on a former railroad corridor that once provided tourist access from Idaho Falls, Idaho, to West Yellowstone, Montana, the trail parallels Warm River for a few miles from its south trailhead at Warm Springs Campground. About 3 miles north of the campground, a short tunnel—original to the railroad—leads through a steep piece of terrain. Unfortunately, the tunnel suffered a cave-in in 2008, so access is prohibited. The trail has been rerouted just to the east, providing closer views of the Warm River.

The overall trail length is 34 miles that runs from Ashton to the Montana State line near West Yellowstone Idaho.  The trail surface is gravel/ballast.  Parts of this trail is open to ATV traffic. 

My ride was the first 7 miles starting at the Warm River Campground.  I rode out 7 miles and returned for a total of 14 miles.  I did not encounter any other people on the trial I had it to myself…except the moose and bear I saw along the way. 

Being new to the Gravel Bike Riding and Rails to Trails my description of the trail my not be completely accurate or even a fair description.  That said I will give my best description and condition of the trail….The trail for the most part was pretty well packed gravel/ballast with a few larger rocks thrown in to keep you alert and focused on the trail.  There were a few small pot holes but they were few and far between.  Several area did have some loose gravel that required a little more attention to the path of the bike.  The section of trial I rode was dry and it made an enjoyable ride.  Even if it had been raining and the trail had been wet it would have been no real challenge to ride.  In the 7 miles out I had an elevation gain of just over 600 feet.  The 600 feet in 7 miles was a very gradual incline that was hardly noticed on the incline but made the return to the tail head a pretty much downhill coast very little peddling on the return.

The scenery along the trail in the fall was breath taking.  Riding this trail in early fall was one of the best bike rides I had made.  The leaves were in full color and the weather was near perfect.  The ride along the river was at an elevation above the river to give spectacular views of the river and surrounding landscape.  I stopped often along the ride to take in the views and was fortunate enough to have seen a moose feeding along the bank on the opposite side of the river on the way out.  On the return trip I also spotted a bear on the opposite side of the river in the edge of the woods.  The one question I asked myself was if the bear is on the other side are bears on this side that I did not see…

I pointed out earlier that I have just started with the gravel bike riding switching from the road bike.  I enjoyed my time on the road but it was more about distance and average speed and hill climbing.  With my gravel bike riding I am still focusing on distance and hill climbing with average speed not having the same value for me.  I enjoyed the scenery when riding on the road/paved trails but with the gravel bike I have found that I am riding in areas that have more and different views with plenty of places to stop and enjoy the views.  The next step in my gravel riding is bring along my camera and take some better pictures.  In the past I have only used my cell phone for ride pictures and in the future I plan to take a better camera and get more and better photos of the trails.  

Ashton-Tetonia Rails to Trails

Ashton-Tetonia Rails to Trails located between Ashton, Idaho and Tetonia, Idaho for a total distance of a little over 29 miles.

            Rode out and back on the Ashton-Tetonia Rails to Trail for a total of 22 miles on my new Diverge gravel bike.  This was my first real use of the Diverge as a gravel bike and it performed better than I had expected.  The bike not only has a carbon frame and seat post to increase the comfort level it has the Specialized Future Shock in the front fork that smooths out the rough and bumpy trails.  At the end of the ride I felt like  I had been riding on paved roads with my Specialized Allez road bike.  The Diverge is a bike to have if you are going to ride Rails to Trails mixed with highway miles.

I started out in the Ashton area on Hwy 47 near Marysville, there is a small parking area designated as a State Park right on Hwy 47.  The weather was perfect for riding, I started out about 9:30 clear skies about 50 degrees about 2 hours later on return it was 60ish partly cloudy.  I had over dressed and had to stop and remove a layer of clothing but that is why you layer.  I have starting carrying a small day pack to make layering possible and bring along a few nice to have items.  With the small day pack I carry extra water some snacks a bike lock and my Garmin InReach along with a few other nice to have items. 

The trail was in good condition for what it is, an old rail line that has had the rails and cross ties removed and covered with gravel.  It is basically a single track road on the old rail line.  There were different sections of the trail some with small well packed gravel and some with larger gravel/rocks mixed in.  The trail wandered off across what appears to be wheat fields in the rolling terrain with views of the Teton Mountains making some breath taking views in the early fall.  Within the first couple of miles you cross a trestle over the Fall River then another couple of miles you get to cross a second trestle over the Conant Creek.  I passed several working farms along with old abandoned buildings some close to the trail and other in the distance.  

One area of the trail between the town of Drummond and France there is some dispute with the ownership of the right of way and the trail takes a detour between two fields that takes you out to a gravel road that connects back with the trail.  In the trail description it sounds pretty simple and straight forward…but the section between the two fields is tricky at best.  The single track between the two field is a farm road covered in very fine sandy soil in the dry season that I rode the road not only was challenging to ride in the sand but there is several steep grades to maneuver.  I do believe that if it had rained the sand would have turned to mud.  I turned around after maneuvering through the detour and back to the trial this was 11 miles from my starting point.  

The ride out I did not notice any grade in the road but when I turned around and started back to Ashton it was all a slight downhill grade making the return much easier than the trip out had been.  I had to force myself to slow down and enjoy the view on the return.  The trail runs from Ashton to Tetonia for a distance of a little over 29 miles maybe next time I will ride the complete trail…or not.

Fall River

Fall River

Along the Trail

Conant Creek

Detour route between two fields. 

Along the Trail