Mountain Biking
in northern Idaho's beautiful Silver Valley

• Rails to Trails: The Route of The Hiawatha
• Rails to Trails: The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes
• Silver Mountain Trails
• Trails out of Wallace
• contact and other information

This picture was taken from page 88 of the September 1999 issue of Sunset Magazine, and has brought people from all over the world to the Silver Valley to experience The Route of The Hiawatha. [Updated information not in the original article is indicated in brackets.]

"Up in the mountains of northern Idaho - about 55 miles southeast of the resort area of Coeur d'Alene - what was once one of America's most scenic sections of passenger rail travel is now open to mountain biking. [Beginning in Montana at the East Portal of the 1.8 mile long Taft Tunnel, about seven miles away from Lookout Pass on Interstate 90,] the Route of the Hiawatha ambles [15 miles] down the former Milwaukee Railroad line, dropping 1000 vertical feet to the Pearson Trailhead [on the North Fork of the St. Joe River], northwest of Avery, Idaho.

At the time it was built, between 1907 and 1909, this stretch of railroad in the Bitterroot Mountains was the world's most expensive railway construction project. Today the gentle 1.7% grade makes for a highly scenic, moderately easy bike jaunt. Picturesque trestles, as high as 200 feet, tower above the timber and creeks below. The Hiawatha's train tunnels are so long that they require a flashlight [and a helmet naturally].

The railway history is engaging, as well. The Loop Creek drainage was once home to 1,000 workers. Today the only sign of these raucous railroad towns is a sagging wall at Adair, just east of Tunnel 25. Still, squint at an upcoming train tunnel and you just might envision a locomotive chugging your way."

The last section of the trail still needing considerable work is in the Lake Chatcolet area. Scudder said the contract for the work is in place and construction of the trail over the big lake bridge will begin in the next few weeks and should be completed by the end of summer. While there had been plans to hold a grand opening ceremony this spring, ...the plans are being pushed back to late in the summer.

section of the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes bike trail from Wallace to Harrison has finally been given the green light to officially open.

The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation has officially taken charge of the supervising that portion of the trail under an interim agreement with the Union Pacific Railroad, said Bill Scudder, trail manager for the IDPR.

Scudder said with the official start of the trail use, the enforcement of rules and regulations regarding the trail now go into high gear with trail rangers patrolling more frequently.

... A grand opening celebration for the trail is in the works and will probably be held some time in May, Scudder said.

SILVER VALLEY -- While it remains buried under a couple of feet of snow, once the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes emerges from its cold, white blanket, riders can anticipate using it some time this summer.

Despite the snow, work has already resumed on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, the 72 mile long trail from Mullan to [Plummer], according to Bill Scudder of the Old Mission State Park.

He added that it is possible one section could open early in the summer as the Union Pacific Railroad has indicated it would like to turn the trail over to the state and the Coeur d'Alene Indian Tribe in sections.

Ranger Bill Scudder, manager of the Old Mission State Park at Cataldo, said earlier that officials hope to complete the 56-mile section between Mullan and [Harrison] by this winter. That section will be paved because of the potential for flooding in that area. However, the [mine waste] contamination in the remaining [section] between Harrison and Plummer will be removed and the trail packed with a thick coat of gravel. Eventually that section of the trail could also be paved, Scudder said.

The cost of the rails-to-trails project for clean up and constructions, expected to total about $20 million, will be paid for by Union Pacific. Another fund will cover the trail's operation and maintenance.

The Silver Valley is in Shoshone County (population 13,771) between Fourth of July Pass and Lookout Pass. It contains Interstate 90, the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River, and several small towns.

The 1990 and 2000 populations of these towns can be known by clicking on the topo map.

About 80% of the county is public land, making the population density 5 people per square mile, and the recreation possibilities enormous.