Dark Sky Routes
Dark Sky routes were designed to experience the vastness and wonder beyond the local trails network and more importantly, these routes are designed for you to “make it your own.” Take a look at the routes and decide what you would like your experience to be. You could consider going off route, adding some spice. Sometimes, I just ride out of town, camp, eat a cold burrito, and take in the cosmos. Other times, I ride the whole thing. Either way, I experience something mysterious and awe inspiring. It’s not the miles, hours, days or bike. It’s truly what you make it. See you out there.
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.”
― Albert Einstein
Sawtooths / White Clouds Out and Back Route
Whatever your speed, you will be riding the Harriman Trail adjacent to the Boulder and White Cloud Mountains. The route goes up and down Galena summit on Old Toll Road into the Sawtooth Range to Smiley Creek Lodge or Alturas Lake and back. Marvel in the Idaho Dark Sky Reserve.
Payette National Forest Excellent Adventure
Just like Bill and Ted’s excellent adventure, this route will send you pedaling back in time through historic back country roads and almost ghost-towns within the Payette National Forest in East Central Idaho. This loop explores mining camps, pristine waters, four summits, fascinating folks, hot springs, maybe a few historic salon people and endless beauty. Begins and ends in McCall, Idaho.
Go Fish Wilderness Loop
The “Go Fish” route allows you to fish some of Idaho’s best blue ribbon streams while circumventing the Boulder White Clouds Mountains and riding/hiking the only bike passage between the Hemingway-Boulder Wilderness, White Cloud Wilderness and the McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness. Congress designated these 3 areas on August 7, 2015. Upon traversing the wilderness section, you will emerge to a cinematic view of the Sawtooth Mountain Range on your way up and over Galena Summit back to Ketchum, Idaho.
Dollarhide Summit / Smoky Mountains Loop
Ride gravel through the Sawtooth National Forest Smoky Mountains Range along Warm Springs Creek to Dollarhide Summit, Elev. 9301’. Descend down from the summit and loop back around Dollarhide and the Southern Smoky Mountains to pick up some dirt doubletrack and more Idaho country gravel back to Hailey/Ketchum.
DIY Ramble Route
This is where you go down the rabbit hole my friends without a true plan and yes, ramble. A ramble can begin anywhere, but I mostly ramble from the bike shack in Hailey, Idaho. No real purpose or direction other than the joy of exploration and the unknown. Expect both the expected and the unexpected and never lose your sense of humor.