Tourist caught trying to beat traffic by driving down Grand Teton National Park bike path

Cyclist at Grand Teton National Park
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Grand Teton National Park has great infrastructure for cyclists, but it wasn't meant to be used like this. A tourist has been caught on camera trying to beat traffic at by taking an alternative route, heading off road and driving along the Grand Teton Pathway instead.

The driver was spotted by wildlife guide Nick Flanik, who documents his adventures on Instagram.

His video (which you can see below) was shared last weekend via Instagram account TouronsOfNationalParks, which calls out examples of bad behavior at sites of natural beauty throughout the US and around the world, including people trying to pet marmots, holding singalongs on the rim of the Grand Canyon, and poking moose.

Cycling is permitted on all paved roads at Grand Teton, but there are also lots of options for riders who want to stay away from traffic (particularly where roads have only one shoulder or lack one entirely). The Grand Teton Pathway (part of an extensive network of paths that runs through the town of Jackson and extends into Teton County) allows hikers and cyclists to enjoy the scenery safely at their own speed.

Cars are strictly prohibited, but e-bikes are permitted on the Pathway provided they have fully operational pedals and a motor no more powerful than 750W. Cyclists are asked to ride single file, and obey all traffic laws and signs. They should also use a white reflector or light on the front of their bike and a red reflector or light on the back to make them more visible to drivers in poor visibility conditions. This is particularly important at the park, because drivers may be distracted.

For more details, take a look at the National Park Service's complete guide to biking in Grand Teton.

Cat Ellis
Editor

Cat is the editor of Advnture, She’s been a journalist for 15 years, and was fitness and wellbeing editor on TechRadar before joining the Advnture team in 2022. She’s a UK Athletics qualified run leader, and in her spare time enjoys nothing more than lacing up her shoes and hitting the roads and trails (the muddier, the better), usually wearing at least two sports watches.