The Route of the Hiawatha: A Great American Rail Trail
IDAHO: This downhill ride crosses 7 trestles and enters 10 tunnels through the Bitterroot Mountains.
The Route of the Hiawatha
I embrace the chance to ride through deep forest far from traffic and urban noise. It’s a peaceful, refreshing, almost euphoric experience. I felt this way in 2022, the first time I followed the Route of the Hiawatha. And, I was excited to share the experience with my wife, Carla.
I explained what she could expect. We would start with a 1.6-mile train tunnel that’s so dark a bright headlight is mandatory, so damp that your back will be spackled with fine, wet, mud spun by tires from the tunnel floor. Once you see the light at the end of the tunnel, prepare for a unique cycling experience through the Bitterroot Mountains.
Hall of Fame Trail
Trains once sped along this railbed. Nearly a century later, bicyclists moving at a much slower pace now follow the same path with time to stop and gaze across stunning panoramas from dizzying heights.
The Route of the Hiawatha, a 15-mile bike ride along the one-time Milwaukee Railroad line, straddles the Montana-Idaho state line. The route traveled by the Olympian Hiawatha passenger train and other rail lines includes 10 train tunnels, seven towering trestles, captivating views, and more than 100 years of local history. A stop on any of these bridges produces landscape photos and audible expressions of awe. In fact, the non-profit Rails-to-Trails Conservancy calls this one of the “most distinct and memorable rail-trail experiences in the country.” It’s even in the conservancy’s Hall of Fame.
Is it difficult to ride a bike here? Not at all. Most of the ride is a gentle downhill roll, and a shuttle bus is available to transport riders who don’t want to pedal back up to the top. Anyone interested in riding from the bottom can expect trail grades that tilt up only 2 percent.
The Route of the Hiawatha immediately begins with the 1.6-mile St. Paul Pass Tunnel, sometimes called the Taft Tunnel. Once free of the tunnel, the Bitterroot’s canyons and hillsides await. Historical markers along the way tell a rich, colorful story dating back to the construction of the railroad line, the train’s historic role in transcontinental transportation from 1909 to 1961, and The Great Fire of 1910 – often called The Big Burn – that claimed 86 lives and devastated nearly 3 million acres of virgin forests across eastern Idaho and western Montana.
This ride should be savored and enjoyed. It’s safe to stop and take in the many views. If heights are unsettling, rest assured that all trestles have guard rails and the surface is wide enough to stand away from bridge’s edge and still enjoy the moment.
The shuttle returns riders to a trailhead near the St. Paul Pass Tunnel for one last waterfall view and a reverse ride back through the muddy darkness to waiting parked vehicles.
There’s a Shuttle to the Top
Here’s a decision for anyone contemplating skipping the shuttle and riding back up the mountain. The gentle grade allows an easy climb back. Carla and I reserved seats on the shuttle as a time-saver but later realized a long line of like-minded shuttle riders created a one-hour wait. Add a slow, steady bus ride up the hill and it’s likely we saved no time at all.
Lookout Pass Ski Area operates Hiawatha trail activities from late May to early September under a special use permit with the U.S. Forest Service. Riders may bring their own bikes – mountain or hybrid tires work best on crushed gravel – as well as required helmets and headlights; Class 1 e-bikes are permitted. Class 2 e-bikes are allowed if throttles are disabled.
“This is a historic treasure, it’s a ride through history,” says Lookout Pass spokesperson Matthew Sawyer. “There is no section of railroad anywhere in the country that has so many trestles, dark tunnels, and so much scenery. And, I think a 10-year-old said it best when she said, ‘I want to come back every year.’”
Reservations
Reservations, tickets, and bike and equipment rentals are available through Lookout Pass Ski Area. Visit the website – www.ridethehiawatha.com – or call Lookout Pass for reservations, day-use rates, rentals, and frequently asked questions.
Directions
Follow Interstate 90 to the Idaho-Montana line, then prepare for a bumpy gravel ride to the remote staging area. The www.ridethehiawatha.com website tells you where to turn.
Dan Shryock is a travel writer and career journalist who focuses on cycle tourism. Based in Oregon, his work has appeared in magazines and websites in California and the Pacific Northwest. His book, “Cycling Across Oregon: Stories, Surprises & Revelations Along the State’s Scenic Bikeways” is available on Amazon.