Description: On the Idaho/Montana border the Old Milwaukee Railroad has been transformed into one of the most breathtaking bike rides in the world.  This is rugged country with big mountains, and to keep the grade, railroad engineers designed a series of tunnels and high trestle bridges that remain today as remarkable engineering feats.  On this 15-mile ride you’ll pedal through ten tunnels including the 1.6 mile-long Taft Tunnel.  You’ll cross over seven canyon-spanning trestles with panoramic views over the Bitterroot and St. Joe Mountains.  Our full day trip includes transport to and from Coeur d’Alene, a trailside picnic lunch, bikes, helmets and lights.

Activity: Biking

When: By request for groups

Meeting Place: ROW Adventure Center Coeur d' Alene (202 E. Sherman Ave.)

Length of Trip: 7 hours/15 miles

Group Sizes: 6-30 people

Minimum Age: 10

Put-In/Take-Out: Winding through 10 tunnels and 7 high trestle, this 15 mile route crosses the rugged Bitterroot Mountains between Idaho and Montana.  The Route of the Hiawatha is best known for the long, dark St. Paul Pass, or Taft Tunnel, which burrows for 1.66 miles under the Idaho/Montana state border.

Rates: $179 Adults | $159 Youth

*Add $20 per person for transport to/from Spokane.  ROW can provide transportation for 12, but with additional transport larger groups are okay.  Hybrid bikes, helmets and lights are included in the trip cost. Bike trailers and tag-alongs are an additional $15.

More Info on the Hiawatha Trail:

The Route of the Hiawatha is one of the most celebrated bike trails in the entire “Rails-to-Trails” system in the United States.  While most bike trails travel through relatively flat terrain, the Route of the Hiawatha bike trail is unique in that it passes through tunnels and over long trestles as it travels through the steep and dramatic Bitterroot Mountains.  It was one of the most expensive rail lines ever built due to the difficult construction requirements to pass over the Bitterroot Mountains.  

Three mountain ranges rise in successive waves of grandeur, conquered by engineering feats unparalleled in railroad building – first the Rockies, rising to the crest of the continent, the great divide; then the forested Bitter Roots, and lastly the Cascades, snow-tipped and jagged. Beyond lies the giant amphitheater of the Puget Sound, Seattle and Tacoma in its center, commanding its splendors.
--Quote from the 1912 publicity book published by the railroad and called “The Trail of the Olympian.”

Starting in the 1990’s a momentous project began to convert the abandoned Milwaukee Railroad into a premier bike trail began.  Using both private and government funding, the rails were removed, tunnels were shored up and construction began and what would become one of America’s finest bicycle trails.  In 1998 the Idaho portion of the trail was opened to the public.  Then in 2001 the last few miles, including the Taft Tunnel was completed and opened for cyclists to enjoy.

Today cyclists and walkers can visit the trail situated on the Idaho/Montana border and enjoy panoramic views of the spectacular Bitterroot Mountains.  The Route of the Hiawatha bike trail is easily accessible and suitable for riders of all abilities.  The Hiawatha trail follows a very gradual downhill slope and the 15-mile ride on crushed rock and dirt can be done on mountain bikes or hybrid bikes. You can ride one way going downhill all the way, or ride both ways for a total of 30 miles.

The Route of the Hiawatha is a perfect family bike ride.  For those with little ones, it’s fairly easy to tow a trailer. Tag-alongs work well for children that aren’t quite strong enough or able to ride the distance on their own, but too big for a bike trailer.

ROW Adventures offers guided bike tours on the Route of the Hiawatha and is the only outfitter licensed by the State of Idaho for this activity.  Our guides take care of all logistics and share their knowledge of the history of trail, as well as the natural history of the region.