Route of the Hiawatha
A RAIL-TO-TRAIL ride you won’t want to miss.
Riding The Route of the Hiawatha has been on our to-do list for several years. Years ago, We purchased electric bikes that could carry both our kids and us on the trails. Unfortunately, we were not able to make time to make it up to Coeur d'Alene from our previous home in Utah. Being mobile now changed that, and this was definitely something we moved back to the top of our list.
Starting off the ride, we went through the 1.6-mile-long Taft Tunnel. Halfway through the tunnel is the state line between Idaho and Montana. A marker on the wall shows the state line so keep an eye out for it as you pass through. It took us nearly 20 minutes to make it through the tunnel, so make sure you have a jacket and that the batteries are good in your lights because you are going to be doing this tunnel twice. The shuttle drops you off on the Idaho side of the tunnel, and you have to ride back through the tunnels to the Montana side to get back to the parking lot.
You can bypass the tunnel by taking a right on the dirt road instead of a left that leads you to the East Portal Parking lot. It is a 5-mile road that drops you down on the Idaho side of the tunnel.
The trail will continue, mostly downhill, for approximately 13 more miles. You will pass over seven trestle bridges and nine more tunnels along the way. The views from the trails are breathtaking, and you can look across the valley and see some of the bridges you will later cross over in the distance. The views and scenery are spectacular, so bring your camera.
Leave yourself plenty of time to enjoy the ride and take in the scenery. We packed our lunch into a backpack and had a picnic along the way. So pack some sandwiches and a blanket to sit on and enjoy the peace and quiet of nature.
One of the bridges you will cross over lifts you 220 feet above the forest floor, offering tree-top views of the forest and river below. The bridges are covered in dirt, just like the trail, and no need to worry about falling through. They are wide bridges and very stable. Trains used to cross these bridges as they moved up and down the mountain.
You will have nine more tunnels to cross through along your ride. You can look into one tunnel along the way, but the trail goes around it. Why it is not part of the trail, I do not know. There is only one more long tunnel along the way where you will need your lights. Besides that, most of the tunnels are shorter and much warmer than the first.
Once you arrive at the bottom of the trail, you will find restrooms and the line for the bus. It took us about 30 minutes to get on the bus after reaching the bottom. Wait your turn to get on the shuttle bus. You will be taken back to the top of the hill and dropped off where you came out of the Taft Tunnel. Only 1.6 miles to go, and you are back to the parking lot.
Congratulations on completing
The Route of the Hiawatha!
The Idaho side is a great place to take a photo. Either at the mouth of the tunnel or at the waterfall flowing down the left of the tunnel entrance.
About the Trail
The Route of the Hiawatha was known as one of the country's most scenic stretches of railroad. When the tracks were in use, The Milwaukee Railroad's trains traversed through eleven tunnels and over nine high trestles, covering a 46-mile route that crossed the rugged Bitterroot Mountain range between Idaho and Montana. The Route of the Hiawatha's most impressive feature is the long St. Paul Pass, or Taft Tunnel, which tunnels 8,771 feet (1.6 miles) under the Bitterroot Mountains at the state line between Idaho and Montana. A marker on the wall about halfway through shows the Idaho and Montana state line.
Cost for Trail Pass & Shuttle
Adults ages 13 & up
Mon. thru Thur. $18 or $16 if you make a reservation.
Fri-Sat-Sun $36 or $32 if you make a reservation. (this price includes both a trail and shuttle pass)
SHUTTLE: Mon. thru Thur. $16 or $14 (with reservation)
Shuttle price is included in Friday-Saturday-Sunday prices.
Children ages 5-12 years
Mon. thru Thur. $12 or $11 if you make a reservation.
Fri-Sat-Sun $26 or $22 if you make a reservation. (this price includes both a trail and shuttle pass)
SHUTTLE: Mon. thru Thur. $12 or $10 (with reservation)
Shuttle price is included in Friday-Saturday-Sunday prices.
Cost for Bike Rentals. - Includes Bike, Helmet and Headlight
Adult Comfort Bike $42 or $40 if you make a reservation.
Adult Std Bike $37 or $35 if you make a reservation.
Child Std Bike $30 or $28 if you make a reservation.
Child Tag-a-Long is $30 or $28 if you make a reservation.
Burley Trailer is $34 or $30 if you make a reservation.
DIRECTIONS
Pickup Your Passes
Take Exit 0 and go to LOOKOUT PASS SKI AREA
This is where you will pick up your trail passes and shuttle passes, and bikes. No bike rack? No problem. You will be provided with a bike rack for your bike free of charge if one is needed.
Getting to the Trail
Drive on I-90 East and take exit 5. Drive through the parking area, you will see a wooden bridge on your right. Cross that bridge and continue for 2 miles. When you come to a fork in the road go left toward the East Portal/Taft Parking Lot. This is where you will start your ride.