Riverside Bike Trail
West Yellowstone, Montana
| Address: | 4 Madison Ave, West Yellowstone, MT 59758, USA |
| GPS: |
44°39'36.9"N 111°5'50.4"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | Montana |
| Trails/Routes: | 1.3 mi |
Just inside Yellowstone's West Entrance is a short and stunning mountain bike trail that shouldn't be missed. Riverside Bike Trail is a gravel and dirt trail that leads through the forest to the beautiful Madison River. This trail is level 1.4 mile trail, easy for mountain bikers of all skill levels. The views and riverside access make this a perfect way to spend a few hours in a lesser visited section of Yellowstone National Park. This trail takes mountain bikers an average of one to two hours to complete.
Riverside Bike Trail is open in the summer and fall months during day light hours. It is reccommended to use a mountain bike due to the trail's terrain. The trailhead can be found on the left side of the road when entering the West Entrance from West Yellowstone.
Mountain bikers should keep an eye out for and a safe distance from any wildlife found on Riverside Bike Trail.
More Information
Riverside Bike Trail (U.S. National Park Service)
A bike trail runs along a portion of the Madison River near the West Entrance
https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/riverside-bike-trail.htm
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From West Yellowstone, Montana
- Head north on N Electric St toward Firehole Ave (39 ft)
- Turn right at the 1st cross street onto Firehole AvePass by CROSSWINDS INN (on the left)(0.2 mi)
- Continue straight to stay on Firehole Ave (0.1 mi)
- Turn right onto Boundary St (0.1 mi)
Other Nearby
Rendezvous Loop
West Yellowstone, Montana
0.6 miles WGentle rolling hills wind through tall lodgepole pines and open meadows on this easy, fast-potential loop near West Yellowstone.
Mountain Bike 0.8 mi
Harlequin Lake Trail
Madison, Yellowstone National Park
10.4 miles EA half-mile stroll through peaceful pine forest leads to a lily-pad-covered lake frequented by Harlequin ducks and other waterfowl — quiet and uncrowded even in busy Yellowstone.
Hike
Targhee Creek Trail
Island Park, Idaho
10.6 miles WFive alpine lakes, wildflowers, and sweeping mountain and valley views — plus grizzly bear habitat that makes wildlife watching very real on this Island Park trail.
Mountain Bike
Madison Campground
Madison, Yellowstone National Park
11.4 miles EA partly wooded riverside campground at 6,800 feet in Yellowstone, close to Old Faithful and the geyser basins, with great fishing on the Madison River and 270-plus individual sites.
Camp 6.1 mi
Purple Mountain Trail
Madison, Yellowstone National Park
11.9 miles EA quiet 6-mile out-and-back through dense Yellowstone forest, climbing 1,500 feet to the peak of Purple Mountain for panoramic views of the Madison and Gibbon rivers.
Hike
Firehole River
Madison, Yellowstone National Park
12.0 miles EA thermally warmed Yellowstone river with a calm swim area that is beautiful and historic for anglers — but stay strictly out of the main current, which has been fatal. Check with a ranger before entering.
Hot Springs, Swim
Big Springs
Island Park, Idaho
13.7 miles SWA Big Springs campground shaded by Lodgepole Pines on Henry's Fork — with a 1-mile interpretive trail, fish feeding under the bridge, the historic Johnny Sack Cabin, and access to the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway.
Camp, Hike
Sentinel Meadows & Queen's Laundry
Madison, Yellowstone National Park
14.4 miles SEAn easy Yellowstone hike through open meadows along the Firehole River to flaming red hot springs and the historic Queen's Laundry bath-house ruins from the 1800s.
Hike
Fairy Creek Trail
Madison, Yellowstone National Park
14.4 miles SEA flat, compact gravel trail perfect for the whole family — bike to a branch trail leading to Fairy Falls (hike only, bike rack provided) in the heart of Yellowstone.
Mountain Bike 4.0 mi
Fountain Freight Road Bike Trail
14.4 miles SE
A 4-mile paved former road along Fairy Falls Trail, passing Goose Lake, crossing the Firehole River, and overlooking the stunning Grand Prismatic Spring.
Mountain Bike 14.8 mi
Biscuit Basin to Fairy Falls and Firehole Meadows
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
14.7 miles SEA nearly 15-mile backcountry hike starting at Biscuit Basin passes turquoise pools, a 70-foot waterfall, Firehole Meadows, Imperial Geyser, and three stunning blue lakes with rust-red shores.
Backpack, Camp, Hike
Boundary Trail
Island Park, Idaho
15.6 miles SWA 37-mile loop in Idaho accessible from multiple trailheads, open to stock, mountain bikes, motorcycles, and ATVs — with steep, rocky sections not suited for beginners.
Mountain Bike 0.7 mi
Grand Prismatic Spring
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
15.8 miles SEThe largest hot spring in the United States sits in Yellowstone's Midway Geyser Basin — a vivid rainbow of thermophilic colors that makes Grand Prismatic Spring a must-see.
Hike 1.5-5.0 mi
Fairy Falls
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
16.4 miles SEA 197-foot wispy waterfall deep in Yellowstone, along a mostly flat trail past Grand Prismatic Spring — at its most magical in spring snowmelt, quieter than the crowded geyser basin stretches.
Hike 2.0 mi
Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
16.5 miles SEA 1.2-mile forested round-trip trail climbing to a sweeping overlook of the Grand Prismatic Spring and entire Midway Geyser Basin — the rainbow colors are best seen from above.
Hike 0.3-0.5 mi
Mystic Falls
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
17.1 miles SEA lesser-known Yellowstone gem — a 70-foot cascading waterfall on Little Firehole River surrounded by quiet forest, with short and long viewing trails both described as easy.
Hike
Beryl Spring / Emerald Spring
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
17.3 miles EOne of Yellowstone's hottest thermal features, right off the Grand Loop Road — the water exceeds boiling point, making this a stunning roadside look-don't-touch volcanic wonder.
Hike
Upper Coffee Pot Campground
Island Park, Idaho
17.7 miles SWHenry's Fork of the Snake River winds through a lodgepole pine forest past this campground, offering fly-fishing for rainbow and brook trout and easy tubing and canoeing.
Camp, Canoe
Coffee Pot Rapids Trail
Island Park, Idaho
17.7 miles SWA 2.2-mile non-motorized trail following the Henry's Fork of the Snake River, where the water shifts from placid stream to raging rapids — lined with wildflowers and diverse shrubs.
Mountain Bike
Divide Road
Island Park, Idaho
18.1 miles WA double-track dirt road along the Continental Divide between Montana and Idaho with gorgeous views of the Centennial Mountains, Henry's Lake, and the Tetons — and plenty of deer, elk, and occasional bears.
Mountain BikeNearby Campsites
Madison Campground
Madison, Yellowstone National Park
11.4 miles EA partly wooded riverside campground at 6,800 feet in Yellowstone, close to Old Faithful and the geyser basins, with great fishing on the Madison River and 270-plus individual sites.
Camp
Big Springs
Island Park, Idaho
13.7 miles SWA Big Springs campground shaded by Lodgepole Pines on Henry's Fork — with a 1-mile interpretive trail, fish feeding under the bridge, the historic Johnny Sack Cabin, and access to the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway.
Camp, Hike 14.8 mi
Biscuit Basin to Fairy Falls and Firehole Meadows
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
14.7 miles SEA nearly 15-mile backcountry hike starting at Biscuit Basin passes turquoise pools, a 70-foot waterfall, Firehole Meadows, Imperial Geyser, and three stunning blue lakes with rust-red shores.
Backpack, Camp, Hike
Upper Coffee Pot Campground
Island Park, Idaho
17.7 miles SWHenry's Fork of the Snake River winds through a lodgepole pine forest past this campground, offering fly-fishing for rainbow and brook trout and easy tubing and canoeing.
Camp, Canoe
Norris Campground
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
20.4 miles ECentrally located in Yellowstone NP, this campground puts you within a short drive of Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Hayden Valley, Old Faithful, and Yellowstone Lake.
Camp 0.9 mi
Buffalo River Campground
Island Park, Idaho
20.7 miles SWAn easy, clear, and often warm float on the Buffalo River near Island Park, with slow enough current to paddle back upstream in a canoe or kayak after your run.
Camp, Canoe, Kayak, Swim 0.8-3.8 mi
Little Gibbon Falls
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
23.4 miles EA family-friendly 4.5-mile Yellowstone loop reaches fishing and swimming spots along Gibbon Creek, with kid-safe trail, canoeing options, and bearspray-worthy backcountry feel.
Camp, Canoe, Hike
Indian Creek Campground Yellowstone
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
23.4 miles NEIndian Creek Campground is a quiet, wooded, tent-friendly Yellowstone campground near Mammoth Hot Springs, big on wildlife and peace.
Camp
Wade Lake
Cameron, Montana
25.1 miles NWWade Lake is a hidden gem of southwestern Montana — a spring-fed mountain lake famous for its glassy, aquamarine water, tucked into a forested ravine at the southern end of the Gravelly Range....
Camp, Canoe, Kayak, Swim 0.1-5.3 mi
Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth, Yellowstone National Park
29.0 miles NEColorful limestone terraces covered in glistening hot-spring water, a 1-mile boardwalk with 300 feet of elevation, elk in the parking lot, and an easy family-friendly loop — Yellowstone's showiest geology.
Camp, Hike
Mammoth Hot Springs Campground
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
29.4 miles NEThe only year-round campground in Yellowstone, with 85 first-come sites at 5 miles from the North Entrance, walking distance to the famous Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces and nearby hiking and fishing.
Camp 17.5 mi
Tear Drop Lake
Ashton, Idaho
30.2 miles SA small, lively lake in the Targhee forest for kayaking, swimming, and an easy loop trail — family fun with primitive lakeside camping.
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Mountain Bike, Swim
Canyon Campground
Canyon Junction, Yellowstone National Park
30.3 miles EA popular Yellowstone campground of 300-plus sites just minutes from the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the Upper and Lower Falls, with hiking trails and North Rim Drive access right from camp.
Camp
Grant Village
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
32.2 miles SENamed for President Grant near Yellowstone Lake's West Thumb, this village has lakeside dining, a geyser basin next door, campfire ranger programs, and tree-lined campsites steps from the water.
Camp, Canoe, Kayak
Bridge Bay
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
33.7 miles EA scenic campground on the western shore of Yellowstone Lake at 7,800 feet — wooded upper loops, open meadows, and a nearby marina store, though far from the park's main dining hubs.
Camp 6.9 mi
Heart Lake Trail
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
34.2 miles SEAn 8-mile moderate hike to a remote backcountry lake with blue thermal pools, fumaroles, Rustic Geyser, and remarkable fishing for native cutthroat, mountain whitefish, and Arctic grayling.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Hot Springs
Horseshoe Lake
Ashton, Idaho
34.5 miles SA lily-pad-dotted lake hidden in the Targhee National Forest with a gradual beach entry perfect for wading, a floating dock for jumping, and no motorized boats.
Camp, Canoe, Dive, Swim 0.1 mi
Lewis Lake Campground
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
35.0 miles SEYellowstone's third-largest lake draws canoeists, kayakers, and serious anglers, with a quiet campground open mid-June through early November on a first-come basis.
Camp, Canoe, Kayak
Cave Falls of Yellowstone
Ashton, Idaho
36.1 miles SA campground right on the Fall River along Yellowstone's south boundary puts you steps from legendary fishing, with fire rings and bear-proof boxes at each site.
Camp, Hike 0.3-0.6 mi
Bear Gulch
Ashton, Idaho
36.4 miles SAn abandoned ski hill from 1969 with overgrown runs that still deliver great sledding — the lower run is fast and winding all the way down to the old ski lift.
Camp, Cross-country Ski, Hike, Sled
