The Route of the Hiawatha

At the Western Portal of the Taft Tunnel.

In the last article I told you about a 72 mile paved, free-of-charge bike trail called the Route of the Coeur d’Alenes.  This week I’ll tell you about a 15 mile gravel, pay-for-use trail called the Route of the Hiawatha.  The only similarity between the two trails is that they both are built upon former railroad beds, and that they are both accessible from Kellogg or Wallace, Idaho.

This means you can ride the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes one day and then go explore the wilds of the Route of the Hiawatha the next.  The Route of the Hiawatha is without a doubt a marvel in engineering from the early 1900’s.  I can only imagine the awe and wonder early rail passengers must have felt as they made their way over trestles and through tunnels as they passed over (and through) the Bitterroot Mountains.  The rails are long gone but the tunnels, trestles and rail bed still remain.

The easternmost part of the trail is accessible from Interstate 90; the w  This is a great option for people with little or no cycling experience, or for families with small children who aren’t quite up to the task of cycling back uphill for 15 miles.  Yes, it’s along a railroad bed and isn’t very steep (2%), but the little ones will run out of gas!

estern end may be found along Forest Road 456, which you can drive to from Wallace. Many people will start at the top of the trail (at the east end), ride downhill for 15 miles and then take the shuttle bus back to the top.

We prefer to drive from Wallace to the Pearson Trailhead (the west end of the trail), ride the fifteen miles uphill and then enjoy the ride back down to our truck.  Be forewarned:  there are chipmunks near the parking area that have little fear of humans and will beg for handouts!  We also saw a bear cross the trail on our last trip there; I think the bear was as scared of the cyclists as we were of the bear!

During the 2015 season, the cost for an all day trail pass was $10 for adults, and a $9 adult charge for the shuttle bus.  The trail is open from sometime in May through sometime in September.  These fees can be paid either to the concessionaire’s marshals along the trail, or at the Lookout Pass Ski Area, the concessionaire for the Route of the Hiawatha.  In addition to the route passes, mountain bikes may be rented at Lookout Pass Ski Area.

The trail is mostly hard packed sand and gravel, and snakes through the Bitterroot Mountains over trestles and through tunnels, the longest being the Taft Tunnel, a 1.7 mile long tunnel at the east end of the trail.  The entrance at the east end of the tunnel is in Montana; the exit at the western end is in Idaho.  This is by far the longest of the nine tunnels along the trail; good lights are mandatory to ride this trail.  Helmets are also a requirement.

A lightweight jacket is highly advisable as well.  It gets quite chilly in the Taft Tunnel, and there is a lot of moisture that constantly seeps through the mountain and into the tunnel.  If nothing else, wearing the jacket will save you from wearing a wet, muddy stripe up your backside!

Another plus for the Route of the Hiawatha is that there are five bathrooms along the route, from beginning to end.  This is good news for families… well, for that matter, for anybody!  (There are bathrooms at the trailheads and other select locations along the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, too.)

One of the seven trestles you will cross
on the Route of the Hiawatha.

For people wanting to ride both the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes and the Route of the Hiawatha, the Wallace Inn (in Wallace, Idaho) is an ideal choice.  It’s about a block off of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes and also sells the trail passes for the Route of the Hiawatha.  Wallace also has a few interesting restaurants, watering holes and local shops to delight everyone in your party… not just the cyclists!

If you have the time to ride both the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes and the Route of the Hiawatha, do it!  If you have to choose between the two… good luck!  (I suppose it could depend on whether you have a road or mountain bike!) 

Other cycling options include in and around the city of Coeur d’Alene, where you can find the Northern Idaho Centennial Trail and ride to the Washington state border.  From there it becomes the Spokane River Centennial Trail and heads west through Spokane, Washington and on to its end at Nine Mile Falls, Washington.  This is a good trail, enjoyed by many cyclists, runners and pedestrians – but nowhere nearly as scenic or remote as the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes and the Route of the Hiawatha.  If you wish to extend your cycling vacation give the Centennial Trail a try.  But you might want to ride the Centennial Trail first, and save the best for last!