Railing smooth singletrack trails in the Tetons is a bucket list trip for any mountain biker. Most riders tend to focus on Jackson Hole and the west side of the famed Teton Pass. However, those willing to drive west over the pass to the Idaho side will find plenty of new trail development in the works and some great under-the-radar rides to check out.
New trails have been built in the Southern Valley Trails / Mike Harris area of Teton County, Idaho, near the town of Victor. The new mountain bike trails include: LadySlipper, Happy Hour, and Hillbender.
Mountain Bike the Tetons (MBT) Executive Director Chris Brule is integrally involved with the trails on both sides of the pass through the 501(c)(3) organization, which is an official chapter of the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA). Brule shared details with Singletracks about the recent trail builds that have taken place near Victor, along with recent developments paving the way for even more new trails in the area.
The latest mountain bike trails built in Victor, ID
New trails are a rare find in this region, but the city of Victor—nestled in “Wydaho,” a nickname reflecting its location near the Wyoming-Idaho border—has become a hub for new trail development. The small community of 2,000 people is growing and already well-known for its proximity to Grand Targhee Resort, which features its own bike park.
The new Southern Valley Trails / Mike Harris trail system is home to beginner and intermediate trails featuring a mix of older, hand-built trails and newer, machine-built singletrack, incorporating more sustainable, contemporary design practices. This trail system sees a significant number of riders and is also groomed for fat biking in the winter.
Here are the most notable trails that have been built in the network:
Ladyslipper Trails
The Ladyslipper Trails were built between 2017 and 2018 to connect the Pole Canyon trailhead to the Mike Harris Trails. The four-mile one-way connection includes the Upper and Lower Ladyslipper trail segments.
Lower Ladyslipper, completed in 2017, is an intermediate, hand-built connector trail that offers an epic ride in the Tetons along the Pole Canyon ridgeline to the Mike Harris Trail.
Upper Ladyslipper was opened in 2018 and is a machine-built trail for beginner and intermediate riders. This second trail completes the connection from Mike Harris to Pole Canyon. Other trails in the area include Nemo and Grumpy Loop.
Happy Hour Trail
More recently, the Happy Hour Trail was completed in 2020, providing riders with two miles of machine-built singletrack. This section is easy and made for beginner mountain bikers. The segment of singletrack parallels the highway and connects the Mike Harris network to the Trail Creek campground.
Hillbender
Also completed in 2020, Hillbender and Upper Hillbender are the newest trails built on the Idaho side of the pass, offering a mellow climb to the top of Grumpy’s. The Upper Hillbender portion of the trail is a fast and flowing, machine-built singletrack that offers great views while completing the upper loop of the trail. From there, the three-mile lollipop machine-built loop provides a super fun and flowy bermed downhill trail.
These trails are also groomed for fat biking in the winter.
Community Bike Park
In addition to these new trail developments, there has been work on a new Community Bike Park project in Victor. In 2022, MBT completed the first of a three-phase Community Bike Park expansion and redesign, which includes building a new dirt jump line with pre-fabricated ramps, a wall ride, drops, and berms—ideal for anyone looking to improve their riding technique and have fun.
This season, the MBT crew is adding some small drops in the park so bikers can build their skills. At the same time, the organization is seeking funding for phase two, which includes building an asphalt pump track and improving the kids’ skills area.
“There are also two non-profits currently fundraising for a Skate Park and a Rock Climbing Park. We hope to be able to integrate the skate park into the asphalt track at the bike park,” Brule stated. “What’s exciting for Teton County, Idaho, is that a Taxing District was recently instituted and will have available funding to support projects like this one in the near future.”
Even more new trails are coming to Victor
In addition to the network of recent trail builds near Victor, there are some other exciting developments in the works across the region.
The Upper Snake Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Field Office finalized a new Travel Management Plan designating approximately seven miles of non-motorized, e-bike-legal singletrack routes on a BLM parcel bordering Victor. With official route designations now in place, MBT has partnered with Teton Valley Trails and Pathways, the City of Victor, and the BLM to begin developing a formal trail concept plan for the area.
“This is a unique opportunity to expand our region’s trail offerings close to town while maintaining a strong focus on sustainable design and thoughtful user experience, which will include bike-optimized trail features and directional trail designations,” Brule said. “We’re excited to be working with our partners to bring this vision to life.”
This BLM parcel development is MBT’s most exciting new trail project that’s currently in the works. They’ve been eyeing the land for years. Until now, access has only been possible via two private easements established in 2016.
“The Upper Snake East Transportation Management Plan provides a long-term and sustainable transportation system that maintains access to public lands, while addressing private property conflicts and natural resource considerations,” said BLM Acting Upper Snake Field Manager, Bret Herres, in a prepared statement.
MBT and Teton Valley Trails and Pathways are currently evaluating the proposed existing alignments and working to refine them for long-term sustainability. The new trail alignment designs will be submitted to the BLM for review and approval. Pending that process, MBT anticipates breaking ground on new trail construction as early as spring 2026.
So the next time you are in Jackson Hole with your mountain bike, do yourself a favor and take the short drive over Teton Pass to explore an entirely new network of trails. The fun, flowy singletrack trails on the Victor side might fly a bit under the radar, but they’ve got the goods for everyone from beginners to experts.
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