Segment 4 Description
Segment 4 of the WWR has two distinct personalities – the flat, sunbaked Snake River Plain in the north and the small wrinkled mountain ranges near the Idaho-Utah border in the south. Water is scarcer than farther north in Idaho, and long sections of the segments from here south to central Arizona can become impassible when wet. The terrain is dramatically less taxing than the adjacent segments. After leaving Hailey and Bellevue, riders climb over Muldoon Summit and follow dirt roads south to the edge of the Snake River Plain. From there, a mix of gravel, paved backroads, and a bit of busier highway lead to Arco while tracing the northern edge of the arid plains. The blackened volcanic landscape at Craters of the Moon National Monument is well worth a stop. From Arco, the route strikes southeast toward the lone Big Southern Butte (the optional steep pedal/push to the top provides an unparalleled view of the region) and across the Snake River Plain to Blackfoot. In summer, temperatures can soar quite high on these shadeless plains, but miles of two-track and absolute solitude offer riders a very unique experience. After Blackfoot, the route leaves the Snake River Plain and climbs into hillier country along the Blackfoot River to Soda Springs and its carbonated springs and geyser. In the southernmost 100 miles of Idaho, the route climbs through the scenic Preuss Range before eventually descending to Bear River and the 20-mile-long Bear Lake. The segment ends at the Utah border, but no services are available there aside from a basic state park campground.
Total climbing: 15,000 feet
Recommended number of days: 5-7
% Paved (approx.): 30%
% Dirt road (approx.): 50%
% 4x4 road/2-track (approx.): 20%
% Singletrack (approx.): 0%
% Rideable (approx.): 100%
Average physical difficulty* (1-10): 4
Average technical difficulty** (1-10): 4
Bikepacking challenges: Summer heat, limited water, limited resupply options, remote, northern half and the southern third of segment are likely to be impassible when wet
Longest stretch between resupply (miles/days): 110 miles / ~2 days (Soda Springs to Laketown (~10 miles into Segment 5 south of the Utah border)
Longest stretch between water sources (miles/days): 63 miles / ~1.5 days (Arco to Blackfoot)
Alternate route options: None
Segment 4 of the WWR has two distinct personalities – the flat, sunbaked Snake River Plain in the north and the small wrinkled mountain ranges near the Idaho-Utah border in the south. Water is scarcer than farther north in Idaho, and long sections of the segments from here south to central Arizona can become impassible when wet. The terrain is dramatically less taxing than the adjacent segments. After leaving Hailey and Bellevue, riders climb over Muldoon Summit and follow dirt roads south to the edge of the Snake River Plain. From there, a mix of gravel, paved backroads, and a bit of busier highway lead to Arco while tracing the northern edge of the arid plains. The blackened volcanic landscape at Craters of the Moon National Monument is well worth a stop. From Arco, the route strikes southeast toward the lone Big Southern Butte (the optional steep pedal/push to the top provides an unparalleled view of the region) and across the Snake River Plain to Blackfoot. In summer, temperatures can soar quite high on these shadeless plains, but miles of two-track and absolute solitude offer riders a very unique experience. After Blackfoot, the route leaves the Snake River Plain and climbs into hillier country along the Blackfoot River to Soda Springs and its carbonated springs and geyser. In the southernmost 100 miles of Idaho, the route climbs through the scenic Preuss Range before eventually descending to Bear River and the 20-mile-long Bear Lake. The segment ends at the Utah border, but no services are available there aside from a basic state park campground.
Total climbing: 15,000 feet
Recommended number of days: 5-7
% Paved (approx.): 30%
% Dirt road (approx.): 50%
% 4x4 road/2-track (approx.): 20%
% Singletrack (approx.): 0%
% Rideable (approx.): 100%
Average physical difficulty* (1-10): 4
Average technical difficulty** (1-10): 4
Bikepacking challenges: Summer heat, limited water, limited resupply options, remote, northern half and the southern third of segment are likely to be impassible when wet
Longest stretch between resupply (miles/days): 110 miles / ~2 days (Soda Springs to Laketown (~10 miles into Segment 5 south of the Utah border)
Longest stretch between water sources (miles/days): 63 miles / ~1.5 days (Arco to Blackfoot)
Alternate route options: None
