Abandoned Railroad Bed Bike Trail
Gardiner, Montana
Address: | 20 Old Yellowstone Trail S, Gardiner, MT 59030, USA |
GPS: |
45°1'56.8"N 110°42'56.6"W Maps | Directions |
State: | Montana |
Trails/Routes: | 3.8 mi |
National Park
Mountain Bike
The Abandoned Railroad Bed Bike Trail, otherwise known as Shortline Trail, is a easily accessible bike trail found just inside the North Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. This bike trail follows an old railroad bed along Yellowstone River. The trail is 8 miles out and back and takes an average of two to four hours to complete. The stunning views of mountains, grassy plains and roaring river provide a picturesque background for an adventurous ride.
The trail can be found near the Heritage and Research Center in Gardiner Montana. There is a pull off on the road here with limited parking. Mountain bikers will need to walk their bikes from the parking area to the railroad bed. Once there the trail is gently sloping, made mostly of dirt and gravel with a few larger rocks. it is recommended that visitors bring tire sealant.
The Abandoned River Bed Bike Trail has a variety of wildlife that are often spotted here, including black and grizzly bears, elk and bison. Visitors should carry, and know how to use, bear spray and keep a large safe distance between themselves and the wildlife. Pets and Service Animals are allowed on this trail, but are not recommended and brought at your own risk due to possible dangerous wildlife confrontations.
More Information
Never modify trail features. Ride trails when they're dry enough that you won't leave ruts. Speak up when you see others on the trail and always yield to hikers, horses, and others coming uphill. Always ride on the established trail.
Read MoreDirections
From Gardiner, Montana
- Head south on US-89 S toward W Stone St (0.2 mi)
- Continue straight onto Park St (0.2 mi)
- Turn left onto Old Yellowstone Trail SDestination will be on the right(0.3 mi)
Trails
Distance ?
3.8 milesElevation Gain ?
-73 feetReal Ascent ?
57 feetReal Descent ?
130 feetAvg Grade (0°)
0%Grade (-2° to 3°)
-3% to 6%Elevation differences are scaled for emphasis. While the numbers are accurate, the cut-away shown here is not to scale.
Other Mountain Bike Trails Nearby
Mammoth/Gardiner Back Road
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
3.9 miles SThe only road open in Yellowstone National Park is Highway 89 at Gardiner, Montana to park Headquarters at Mammoth Hot Springs and from Mammoth Hot Springs to Silver Gate and Cooke City, Montana.
Hike, Mountain Bike 8.4 miBunsen Peak Loop Bike Trail
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
7.0 miles SBunsen Peak Loop Bike Trail is a challenging trail that follows several service roads around Bunsen Peak. This 10 mile loop has a total elevation change of 1,120 feet, with several miles of the trail...
Mountain Bike 2.8 miMount Washburn Bike Trail
Devils Den, Wyoming
19.6 miles SEMount Washburn Bike Trail follows Chittenden Service Road for 2.5 miles to the top of Mount Washburn. This steep climb up the mountain provides a challenging elevation gain of 1500 feet. Mount...
Mountain BikeLittle Wapiti
Gallatin Gateway, Montana
27.6 miles WThe climb is partially double track. The descent is narrow, at times rocky, singletrack. Gorgeous views. At 9,000 plus feet...wolf tracks, too.
Mountain BikeHyalite Creek Trail
Gallatin Gateway, Montana
28.8 miles NWSummer activities are on a timeshare basis, with specific days and activities listed at the trailhead. The entire trail is 11 miles, with eleven waterfalls along the trail! Bear...
Hike, Horseback, Mountain BikeBuck Ridge
Gallatin Gateway, Montana
29.5 miles WThis is a ride you do for the scenery rather than the singletrack. It is an out-and-back on about 8 miles of doubletrack/atv trail. Most of the ride give you fantastic views of the...
Mountain BikeRendezvous Loop
West Yellowstone, Montana
32.3 miles SWGentle rolling hills that wind though tall stands of lodgepole pine and open meadows. Easy ride with great potential for speed.
Mountain BikeFairy Creek Trail
Madison, Yellowstone National Park
32.6 miles SThe trail is well-compacted gravel, of car width. There is absolutely no technical features, it is flat and smooth.This is a ride for all the family, and is about the scenery and...
Mountain Bike 4.0 miFountain Freight Road Bike Trail
32.7 miles S
Fountain Freight Road Bike Trail is a four mile stretch of paved road along Fairy Falls Trail. This stretch of trail is no longer open to vehicles but allows bikes. Despite being paved, it is...
Mountain BikeCabin Creek
West Yellowstone, Montana
32.7 miles WStarts out as a nice, buff trail. After a mile or two, there are a lot of tough creek crossings and when I rode it in 2010 there were a lot of trees down. This was from a recent...
Mountain BikeOusel Falls
Big Sky, Montana
33.4 miles NWI rode this everyday before work! There is a bathroom at the top of the trail and people, horses and bikes are allowed on this double-wide packed trail. This is a great trail for any...
Mountain Bike 0.9 miOld Lake Road Bike Trail
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
36.8 miles SENear Lake Hotel in Yellowstone is a old road bed that provides mountain bikers with a beautiful lakeside ride. Old Lake Road Bike Trail is about a mile long trail with parking lots available on...
Mountain Bike 2.3 miNatural Bridge Trail
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
37.3 miles SNatural Bridge Trail is an exciting and easy 2 mile trail to the beautiful rock formation that is Natural Bridge Yellowstone. This Natural Bridge was formed by Bridge Creek as it wore a hole in...
Hike, Mountain BikeGarnett Mountain
Gallatin Gateway, Montana
37.4 miles NWThis is a great singletrack but it is merciless. Just don't make it your first ride of the year. No problems following this trail, just follow the most obvious route. Though not overly...
Mountain BikeTarghee Creek Trail
Island Park, Idaho
38.5 miles SWSpecial attractions along the trail include five alpine lakes amid the mountains, abundant wildlife, wildflowers, and great scenic views of the mountains and valley floor. The Targhee...
Mountain BikeSheep Creek Trail
38.6 miles SW
The trail has a few interesting spots (rocks, roots, etc.), but mostly it's pretty simple and straightforward. A pretty good climb, especially the last few hundred yards to the lake....
Mountain Bike 1.2 miOld Faithful Lower General Store to Morning Glory Pool Bike Trail
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
39.9 miles SThe biking trail from Old Faithful General Store to Morning Glory Pool is an easy paved bike trail with incredible views of the Upper Geyser Basin and a stunning destination. The trail to Morning...
Mountain BikeMile Creek Trail
40.4 miles SW
It is important to note that Mile Creek Trail is part of the Continental Divide Trail system, so it connects to other trails of various difficulties. Mile Creek Trail itself is a great...
Mountain Bike 2.6 miLone Star Geyser Trail
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
42.7 miles SLone Geyser Star Trail is a hiking and mountain biking trail that leads through the forest to the colorful Lone Star Geyser. The Geyser here has beautiful white, yellow and orange colors in the...
Hike, Mountain BikeDivide Road
Island Park, Idaho
43.1 miles SWDivide Road criss-crosses the Continental Divide between Montana and Idaho. I have ridden it three times and didn't see a soul each time. I saw lots of deer and elk. There are bears...
Mountain BikeNearby Campsites
Mammoth Hot Springs Campground
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
4.0 miles SMammoth Hot Springs Campground is the only campground in Yellowstone that is open to campers year-round. Campsites cannot be reserved and are available on a first come first served basis. It is...
Camp 0.1-5.2 miMammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth, Yellowstone National Park
4.1 miles SMammoth Hot Springs is a unique sight in Yellowstone National Park. The soft limestone in this area allowed the water to form colorful terraces. The extremely hot running water is clear and smooth,...
Camp, HikeIndian Creek Campground Yellowstone
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
10.5 miles SIndian Creek Campground is a quiet and secluded wooded campground within Yellowstone National Park, ideal for tent campers. It’s close to lots of hiking and fishing, and only a few miles to...
CampHellroaring Creek Trail
Yellowstone National Park
14.9 miles SEIf the name didn't scare you enough, the Hellroaring creek trail begins with an arduous descent down to the the Yellowstone River Suspension Bridge.The suspension bridge is a beautiful...
Camp, Hike, SwimTower Falls
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
18.8 miles SETower Fall is a waterfall on Tower Creek in the northeastern region of Yellowstone National Park, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Approximately 1,000 yards (910 m) upstream from the creek's...
Camp, HikeNorris Campground
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
20.4 miles SNorris campground is centrally located in Yellowstone National Park and offers a good spot for those planning to visit many of the most famous features in Yellowstone. Norris is a relatively short...
CampSlough Creek Campground
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
20.8 miles ESlough Creek campground is a small but very popular campground on the Northeast Entrance Road. Most of the campsites are situated right on the banks of Slough Creek where fishing is a favorite...
Camp 1.5-3.8 miLittle Gibbon Falls
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
22.5 miles SIce Lake and Little Gibbon Falls Loop is a 4.5 mile loop trail located near Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. The trail is good for all skill levels and primarily used for hiking, but there are...
Camp, Canoe, HikeCanyon Campground
Canyon Junction, Yellowstone National Park
23.3 miles SECanyon Campground is a popular choice for visitors to Yellowstone National Park, and it's easy to see why. Located in the heart of the park, the campground offers easy access to some of the...
CampMadison Campground
Madison, Yellowstone National Park
27.8 miles SMadison Campground is named for its proximity to the Madison River, which runs through the area in a lush mountain setting rich in wildlife. Madison Campground is at an elevation of 6,800’ and...
CampPebble Creek Campground
Northeast Entrance, Yellowstone National Park
30.5 miles EPebble Creek is a popular campground for fishermen and those seeking a more quiet and smaller campground in Yellowstone National Park. The campsites can fill very early, so get there before 11 AM...
CampFishing Bridge RV Campground
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
36.6 miles SEThe Fishing Bridge Recreational Vehicle Park is located near the mouth of the Yellowstone River as it leaves Yellowstone Lake. The RV park is named after the Fishing Bridge, a wooden vehicle bridge...
CampBridge Bay
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
37.1 miles SBridge Bay Campground was named for its proximity to Bridge Bay Marina on Yellowstone Lake. The area is quite scenic, with wooded areas, open meadows and some limited views of the lake. Because of...
Camp 14.8 miBiscuit Basin to Fairy Falls and Firehole Meadows
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
39.3 miles SFreight Road trail is a almost 15 mile hike that leaves from Biscuit Basin or Fountain Flats Drive. This hike is a beautiful remote hike that passes several unique landmarks, breaking up this hike...
Backpack, Camp, HikeWade Lake
Cameron, Montana
44.4 miles WCamp, Canoe, Kayak, and Swim near Cameron, Montana
Camp, Canoe, Kayak, SwimGrant Village
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
44.8 miles SGrant Village was built in 1984 and named after Ulysses S. Grant, president when Yellowstone became the world’s first national park in 1872. Located near the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake,...
Camp, Canoe, KayakBig Springs
Island Park, Idaho
45.6 miles SWThere's also a great little walking trail along the river with placards that tell about the ecosystem and history of the area. There's about a 1/2 mile that's paved and then a 1/2 mile...
Camp, HikeUpper Coffee Pot Campground
Island Park, Idaho
49.3 miles SWUpper Coffeepot Campground stretches along a floatable section of Henry's Fork of the Snake River. A mixed growth lodgepole pine forest provides partial shade and summer wildflowers are...
Camp, Canoe 6.9 miHeart Lake Trail
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
49.7 miles SThe trail is very clear and leads to a moderate eight mile hike to Heart Lake. This hike has many possibilities. Day hikers need to push their time to make sure they are on the trail early to allow...
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Hot Springs