The Hiawatha Trail follows the old railroad route of the Milwaukee Railroad from the Taft tunnel at the Montana and Idaho state line to Pearson’s about fifteen miles down the grade. The Olympian trail continues into Montana to about St. Regis and old rail line can be followed down to Avery on the St. Joe River on a forest service road through several more one lane tunnels and over a couple of high trestle bridges. The former transcontinental rout continues west along the St. Joe River and across Washington as the Palouse to Cascades Trail. Here are a few photos of the Hiawatha.
After navigating the one and a half mile tunnel under the Bitterroot divide, this is the Idaho end of the tunnel.
One of the high trestle bridges over side canyons.
And then straight into a short tunnel.
More high bridges for your enjoyment.
Some wildlife is epic and some not much so, but it is here to appreciate.
There are numerous short tunnels leading down to Pearson’s.
After turning the bend, you can see where you were.
If you’re heading up, you can also see the bridges you have crossed.
The view from one of the bridges. Vertigo.
Tunnel #28.
One the deck of one of the trestles.
Looking down off of one of the bridges.
At the bend looking down Loop Creek.
The view looking across Loop Creek.
Leaving one of the tunnels.
There is a significant fee to ride the trail that can be paid at Lookout Mountain or on site during the season. A shuttle is available to take riders from Pearson’s back up to the Taft Tunnel also for a significant fee. I prefer to drive over Moon Pass from Wallace Idaho to the lower trailhead at Pearson’s and grind it up hill through the tunnel and coast back enjoying the scenery and saving some cash. The official site is here.
The Friends of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alene’s website has information on more bicycle trails in North Idaho.
