By Gail Newbold — Mention that you’re going cycling in northern Idaho and everyone assumes you’re biking the infamous Route of the Hiawatha renowned for its 10 tunnels and seven train trestles through breathtaking mountain scenery.
Tell them instead that you’re hitting the 73-mile paved Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes and watch them draw a blank; even though it’s one of the most spectacular trails in the western United States that spans the Idaho panhandle between Mullan and Plummer.
Place it atop your cycling bucket list but don’t knock off the Trail of the Hiawatha. Each ride is outstanding and in the Rail-to-Trail Conservancy’s Hall of Fame. If you’re in the area, do both.
However, since this article focuses on the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, here are a few benefits you won’t get on the Hiawatha. The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes is:
- longer by 58 miles.
- sizably less crowded.
- free.
- paved.
- easy to access with 20 developed trailheads providing entry points, and 20 scenic waysides with tables to stop for a picnic or a short rest.
- wonderfully diverse.
- well-equipped with restrooms.
Given its length, many cyclists bite off one section of the trail at a time. It’s easy to do using one of the many trail maps online and choosing your start and stop points. You can enjoy an out-and-back ride on a section, or tackle more miles and use a shuttle service to transport you and your bike back to your car.
Opinions vary on which section is the prettiest, assuming you don’t have time to ride all 73 miles. My vote is the 34-mile section between Harrison and the Pinehurst Trailhead. The Cycle Haus in Harrison has its own opinion on the topic that you can read online at thecyclehaus.com/trail-of-the-coeur-d-alenes. The shop’s trail guide is extremely helpful when planning your route and includes detailed descriptions of every section of the trail and each trailhead with rankings for each. It gives information about restrooms, amount of parking, picnic tables, views, type of scenery and terrain, natural beauty, wildlife and more.
Historically, the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes began as a railroad line serving the Silver Valley mining industry before being converted to a recreational trail in 2004. It has a 1,200-foot elevation change, most of that on both ends of the trail. The rest is primarily flat and spans almost the entire Idaho Panhandle from the border of Montana in the east and Washington in the west.
Unlike some trails where the scenery can become mind-numbingly monotonous, the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes serves up an endless mix of wetlands, rivers, lakes, mountains, pines, a few bridges and historic mining towns. Breathe deep and enjoy the scents along with the landscape.
34 Miles from Harrison to Pinehurst
We plucked out the prime midsection of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes for our ride, starting in Harrison and ending at the Pinehurst Trailhead. The reason was I’d already cycled the end from Plummer to Harrison on a previous trip, and frankly, didn’t think it was extraordinary. I skipped the opposite end of the trail from Mullan to Pinehurst because it runs alongside Interstate 90 with noticeable road noise and through industrial zones. If you also opt to skip the latter section, be sure to visit Wallace by car — one of my favorite historic mining towns set against a backdrop of pines.
The 60-minute drive from our lodging in Coeur d’Alene along the Lake Coeur d’Alene Scenic Byway to Harrison was a stunning way to start the day. The Harrison trailhead has restrooms and picnic tables and is located next to Harrison City Beach — a great spot to cool off.
We hit the trail at 10 a.m. on a bluebird day in August with sunshine and temperatures in the low 70s. I was excited but also terrified about the possibility of encountering a moose. My husband, on the other hand, was desperate to see one, encouraged by trail descriptions promising frequent moose sightings and advice on what to do if one blocked the trail.
The first 10.5 miles from Harrison to Medimont run through the heart of the Chain Lake region past seven lakes, wetlands, streams and the Coeur d’Alene River. Almost immediately I was snapping photos of a beaver lodge and gorgeous pink water lilies covering the surface of the water.
The lone blemish was a mile or so of scarred landscape and construction equipment tied to the Grays Meadow Restoration project with the goal of cleaning up mining pollution, reducing flood risk, and preserving the valley’s beauty.
Just before reaching the Medimont Trailhead, we passed a stunning stretch of wetlands home to countless grebes, elegant waterbirds often likened to flamingos, and then beautiful Cave Lake. Picnic tables and benches on the cool banks of the lake offer a cool respite. It was a stunning section of trail, and I was grateful we didn’t surprise anything more than a cute covey of quail.
Cyclists Amanda and Dave Sheets from Virginia were also taking advantage of the pretty trailhead. They said they were on a three-week cycling trip that had included the Great Miami River Trail in Ohio, the Elroy-Sparta State Trail in Wisconsin, and the George S. Mickelson Trail in South Dakota where they fought crowds of motorcyclists at Sturgis. They biked the Route of the Hiawatha the day before and rated the scenery 10 out 10, but were disappointed by the crowds and a 40-minute wait for the shuttle back to the start. Their next cycling adventure was the Paul Bunyan State Trail in Minnesota.
“Of the trails we’ve been on so far, the Trail of the Coeur reminds me most of the Mickelson Trail because it’s easy to ride, mostly flat and has lots of beautiful scenery,” Amanda said. She was excited they’d seen snakes, deer, red tailed hawks, blue herons, geese and more on the trail.
We also met a couple from Park City, Utah, who also cycled the Route of the Hiawatha a few days prior and were surprised at how crowded it was on a weekday in August.
By contrast, the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes was surprisingly uncrowded. For long stretches, we saw no one. The cyclists we passed were a mix of families, older couples, and solo riders. We only passed one set of elite-looking cyclists clad in kits, hunched over their handlebars, and riding fluidly in sync.
If You Go
- The Cycle Haus in Harrison offers shuttle services and bike rentals. There are private shuttle services available as well. We hired Rick’s Bicycle Shuttle Service (208-446-4006) and were very pleased. Rick was already at the Pinehurst Trailhead when we showed up 20 minutes early. We loved Rick, a chatty former educator and lifetime resident of Harrison, who dispensed a wealth of information upon booking and during the ride to our car. He charges by number of miles. The drive from Pinehurst to Harrison cost us $120.
- If you don’t plan to bring your own food or are worried about running out of water, check Cycle Haus’s trail map (visitnorthidaho.com/activity/trail-of-the-coeur-dalenes) for towns along the route with food and water. Rick recommended The Snake Pit across from the Enaville trailhead and the Timbers Roadhouse across from the Cataldo Trailhead. The town of Wallace has many food options.
- Another gorgeous trail in the area to ride if you have time is the North Idaho Centennial Trail that runs along the Spokane River and Lake Coeur d’Alene. It extends from the Idaho-Washington state line to Higgins Point, with scenic views, restrooms, charming parks and long stretches of beach.
- For more information, see: https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/state-park/trail-of-the-coeur-dalenes/
