The Grove Creek to Drake Creek loop is a rewarding backcountry mountain-bike ride in the Big Hole Mountains west of Victor, Idaho, in the heart of Teton Valley. It's one of those under-the-radar rides that serves up big Teton views — looking back across the valley at the west side of the range — without the crowds you'll find on the more famous trails over in Jackson Hole. Figure roughly 7.6 miles with about 1,700 feet of climbing for the full loop, a satisfying half-day of effort and reward.

Most riders tackle it counterclockwise. You start by grinding up the recently rerouted South Grove Creek Trail — steep in places, but freshened with a set of well-built modern switchbacks that make the climb far more manageable than it used to be — then link through the narrower, sometimes-overgrown singletrack of the Red Creek loop, which threads quiet timber and crosses the creek a few times along the way. The grand payoff is the plunge down Drake Creek: a fast, flowing descent that turns rocky and genuinely technical lower down, studded with small drops and rock gardens that reward a confident rider. It's meant to be ridden downhill, and by all accounts it rides like an absolute blast, with wildflowers, forest, and those Teton panoramas sweetening the whole outing.

The trails are multi-use and open to hikers and horseback riders too, so keep your speed in check and yield courteously, especially on the fast lower sections. Each loop can be ridden on its own for a shorter day, and strong riders can link into the broader Big Hole network — including the long, rugged Big Hole Crest Trail that runs the spine of the range — for a much bigger adventure. This is genuine backcountry with no facilities at the trailhead and help a long way off, so ride prepared and self-sufficient.

The season generally runs from about June through September, once the high ground dries out and the snow is gone. Bring plenty of water, trail tools, a spare tube, and layers, because mountain weather can turn fast at elevation; pack bug spray in early summer, when the mosquitoes can be relentless, and expect muddy patches in spring or right after rain. The nearby resort town of Victor and neighboring Driggs make a fine basecamp, with food, beer, and bike shops close at hand — and the lift-served flow of Grand Targhee just up the road if you want a very different kind of ride the next day. For a scenic, challenging loop that most out-of-towners never find, the Grove Creek–Drake Creek circuit is one of the Big Holes' quiet classics.