The Loop

Travel Time: 3 hours, 40 minutes
Distance: 131 miles
Where to eat: Dornan’s Pizza & Pasta Company in Moose, WY web »
What to bring: warm layer of clothing, water, and camera

It was a beautiful day as we took off from the Alpine Airpark on our way around The Loop. The motorcycles were running perfect, the sun was out and the colors of fall were peaking. I was sure to bring extra clothing, as I’ve learned; you should always be prepared for a change in the Wyoming weather.

The first leg of this breath-taking ride takes you along the famous Snake River. The Snake River Canyon from Alpine to Jackson Hole is one of the most scenic stretches of road in the area. Granite cliffs are home to mountain goats so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for these majestic creatures. The Aspen trees, at this time of year, are a golden yellow while deep reds, orange and green compliment the palate. Looking down on the river, we noticed that there were still drift boats, carrying die hard fisherman hoping to catch some late season trout, I’m sure they were successful.

As we pulled into the Town of Jackson we noticed that the crowds of summer had all but disappeared and we had no problem taking our time navigating Town Square. Jackson is a small town and within two minutes we were once again surrounded by nature as we entered Grand Teton National Park. The Elk Refuge had yet welcomed its winter guests, but the golden grasses will soon be home to thousands of elk.

Motorcycling takes all your concentration and focus; however, I have to admit that on this spectacular day, I had a hard time keeping my eyes off the Teton Range. The peaks’ sharp contrast to the bright sky was awe-inspiring.

We decided to have lunch at Dornan’s in Moose. Moose, WY is the southern gateway to Grand Teton National Park and Dornan’s is famous for its great food, extensive wine collection and microbrews and of course it’s incredible views. I enjoyed the Florentine Ravioli while my husband had the Buffalo Bolognaise; both entrées were fantastic. We were lucky enough to sit outside on the large deck during the warmest part of the day to rest up before the next leg of the trip.

After lunch we got back on the road and decided to return to Highway 22 via the Moose / Wilson road through the old Rockefeller Ranch. This small section of the road is gravel, which became a little scary on my new Harley, but skills learned over years on the road came in handy and we made it back to pavement without incident. We didn’t see any wildlife, however, this area is known for its abundance of moose, elk and even bear.

We passed Jackson Hole Mountain Resort heading towards Wilson to start our climb over Teton Pass. We had to stop at the top of the pass just to take in the incredible views all the way across the valley to the Gros Ventre Range. Looking down, you can definitely see how the first fur trappers came up with the name “Jackson’s Hole” for the entire valley. The drive down the opposite side of the pass is fun, windy and steep; be sure to drive with caution! Victor, Idaho welcomed us at the base of the pass and we looked forward to summiting our second pass of the day: Pine Creek Pass. This road is made for motorcycles as it winds and climbs and drops you down into beautiful Swan Valley, Idaho.

For the final leg of our journey, we turned south onto Highway 31 in Swan Valley. For those of you craving a famous square ice cream cone, be sure to stop at the gas station at the corner of Highway 26 and 31! We followed the banks of the South Fork of the Snake River all the way to Palisades Reservoir which always offers spectacular views at all times of the year. The drive along the lake was gorgeous as the clouds started rolling in from the west. We pulled back into the Alpine Airpark a little over 5 hours from when we left; happy and feeling fortunate that we live in such a beautiful environment!

The Loop, as locals call it, is a great way to spend the day whether you’re in car or on a motorcycle. There are countless stops to make for great photography, wildlife viewing, shopping or eating. Full of valleys, canyons, rivers and high mountain peaks, this day trip will give you a perfect tour of some of the best that western Wyoming has to offer. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

View Bike Touring Loop: Alpine, Jackson, Swan Valley in a larger map