If you love to cycle like I do, you probably have your own bucket list of amazing bike trails you someday want to explore. For me, cycling the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes in northern Idaho was toward the top of my list. I finally got my chance and will share my observations with you in this story.
At 73 miles, the Coeur d’Alene Trail, or “CDA Trail,” is one of the longer fully paved destination trails in the nation. It is also one of only 38 U.S. bike trails named to the coveted Hall of Fame by the Rails to Trails Conservancy and is part of the still-developing Great American Trail, which will someday allow cyclists to travel coast-to-coast.
“I call it the Cadillac of rail trails; it’s 73 miles of paved biking glory,” said Rick Shaffer, president of the Friends of the Coeur d’Alene Trails. Shaffer’s business card tongue-in-cheek says he’s “prime minister” over the Silver Valley region in northern Idaho and the six trails covered by the friends’ group. His claim isn’t far from the truth. He’s a one-man Chamber of Commerce who loves to proudly promote the trails and region. When not acting as prime minister over the trails, Shaffer is director of operations for the Wallace Inn in Wallace, Idaho, a popular stop for cyclists along the CDA Trail.
Following the former path of the Union Pacific Railroad, the CDA Trail is owned and managed by the Idaho Department of Parks & Recreation. It stretches across Idaho’s Panhandle, from Plummer to Mullan, almost touching the adjacent states of Washington and Montana.
By the way, I found it interesting that the bike trail does not connect with the nearby City of Coeur d’Alene. Cycling from the city to the trail is not possible unless you want to take your chances with the cars and trucks on the highways. The North Idaho Centennial Trail heads southeast from the city toward the CDA trail but stops several miles short of connecting. Connecting that gap would no doubt generate economic benefits for everyone in the region.
Getting There
When it comes to travel, you’ve heard the expression that getting there is half the fun. That can ring true when your travel destination is the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. Northern Idaho is a somewhat remote area of the Great Northwest. You can fly into the City of Coeur d’Alene or Spokane, Washington, less than an hour’s drive from the trail. Boise, Idaho’s largest city, is a seven-hour drive. The Canadian border is only two hours north.
Coming from my Texas home, I chose to make it a memorable road trip. When I travel solo, I try to keep the costs to a minimum. That means camping and an occasional Airbnb room. With the second and third rows of seats collapsed into the floor, my minivan has space for my e-bike plus enough room for me to sleep in the cargo area. Most nights, I camped along the way, passing through Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana on my way to Idaho. I rode bike trails in Colorado and Montana, visited hot springs, and enjoyed the majestic Western landscapes. One of the highlights of my trip was camping in Grand Tetons National Park and cycling to nearby Jackson Hole. You can read here about my side trip to Missoula, Montana, a leader in successfully building urban bike infrastructure.
It was a fun trip I will never forget.
Riding the Trail
Everyone has a different opinion about where to start on the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes and especially about how to break up the trip, assuming that you aren’t keen on riding the entire 73 miles in one day. I spent two days riding the trail and would recommend two or even three days as the ideal pace for most recreational cyclists. I agree with Shaffer that not spending enough time on the trail takes away from the experience.
“You want to enjoy the trail,” Shaffer said. “People come down here and say ‘I can do the trail in a day,’ but why? You want to enjoy, you want to cruise, you want to take photos. There’s moose, there’s elk, there’s deer and foxes, osprey, and whatever. There’s no reason to come here and burn down the trail.”
I choose to start in Plummer, on the far west end of the trail, and ride east. To get there, I stayed overnight at the Wallace Inn and used Shaffer’s shuttle service to take me and my bike to Plummer. The conversation with Shaffer was worth the price since no one knows the trail and region better.
Plummer is located in the Coeur d’Alene Reservation, owned by the Coeur d’Alene tribe after which the city and trail are named. In the nearby town of Worley sits the economic crown jewel of the reservation, the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort and Hotel. This sprawling complex includes a championship golf course, a world-class spa, several restaurants, a hotel, and a casino. For those wanting to combine an upscale resort with a trail ride, this is an option. If your style leans more toward the rustic, then check out Heyburn State Park, located not far from Plummer and right along the trail. This park offers camping including tent camping, RV sites, cottages, and cabins.
Only a few miles into the trail, I encountered the historic Chatcolet Bridge over Lake Coeur d’Alene. This may be the most photographed landmark along the entire trail. Built in 1921, the bridge is more than 3,100 feet long and nowadays is dedicated solely to trail traffic, with no motorized vehicles allowed. This section of the trail also offers the best water views, with several miles that hug Lake Coeur d’Alene.
While Shaffer mentioned moose, elk, and deer in his comment above, he didn’t say anything about bears. My closest encounter with wildlife came in this section. Traveling east, after the bridge, heading toward Harrison, there’s a section on the right with tall wooded cliffs. I rode right under a black bear in the trees overhead, which I didn’t see but other riders around me did. Thankfully, bears don’t jump out of trees and attack passersby.
Trail Town: Harrison
My first stop was for coffee in Harrison at The Cycle Haus Bikes & Brews. This cafe offers breakfast and lunch fare and, as the name implies, caters to cyclists riding the trail. It’s also a bike shop, offering bike sales and rentals, trail information, and a shuttle service.
Another very popular stop in Harrison is the Harrison Creamery & Fudge Factory. With 38 flavors of ice cream, there’s something to please everyone.
Harrison and Wallace are the two most popular stops for trail riders. Both towns are large enough to offer multiple restaurants and lodging opportunities. They are the only true “trail towns” that proactively market to tourists riding the CDA Trail. If you want a place toward the western end of the trail to serve as your base, Harrison is a good choice.
By the way, I almost missed Harrison. You cannot see the town from the trail, which is off to the right (when traveling east), up a hill. There’s not much signage either. I rode past the town and after realizing my mistake, turned around and went back. It’s worth the stop.
Long and Serene
If riding east, make sure you have plenty of water and some snacks before leaving Harrison. The next 35 or so miles of the CDA trail are a lonely stretch, with no outstanding landmarks or noteworthy towns. This is rugged and beautiful rural Idaho, with plenty of fresh air, big blue skies, and thick forests of tall evergreen trees. It’s the perfect place if you want to unwind and gather your thoughts.
Even though the maps may show towns along the trail in this section, don’t get your hopes up. This portion of the trail is peaceful and scenic, but if you’re looking for urban chic or charming small towns, you’ll be disappointed. Even finding a good meal isn’t easy. I had planned to enjoy lunch at the Snake Pit, one of the more interesting and historic restaurants along the trail. Dating back to 1880, the Snake Pit is located in Enaville, at mile marker 47. Even though the sign says “Open Daily,” I learned to my misfortune that doesn’t include Mondays or Tuesdays.
Entering the Silver Valley
As you approach the town of Pinehurst going east, you enter the historic Silver Valley, which stretches to Mullan on the far east end of the CDA trail. This region has a storied Wild West history. In the late 1800s and early 20th century, the Silver Valley was a booming mining area. The region has had its dark moments. A devastating wildfire in 1910 burned three million acres of the Silver Valley, destroying many towns including Wallace and Kellogg. A mining disaster in 1972 resulted in the deaths of 91 miners. That incident is still considered one of the worst mining disasters in U.S. history. Mining also left significant environmental scars on the area. Even today some of this region’s lakes and rivers are not considered safe for swimming.
There are still mines in operation today but the Silver Valley’s economy is now more focused on tourism and light manufacturing. While bike riding on area trails brings in plenty of visitors in the summer, in the winter the Silver Valley is known for its snow skiing. It has two popular ski resorts, Lookout Pass and the Silver Mountain Resort. The Coeur d’Alene Trail closes to bike traffic during the winter months.
I spent the night in Kellogg, around mile marker 54. I would have preferred a more central location closer to the halfway mark on the trail, but unfortunately, lodging opportunities are slim in that long stretch between Harrison and Kellogg. Boasting more than 2,000 residents, Kellogg is by far the largest city along the trail. As a result, you have a good choice of hotels and restaurants there. I stayed at the Silver Inn, a modest but clean motel. The best part of staying there was its proximity next door to Sam’s Restaurant, an old-fashioned dinner that served good food at reasonable prices.
Kellogg is home to the Silver Mountain Resort, a ski lodge in the winter that attracts family tourists year-round with its indoor water park, gondola rides, and golf. The resort also offers restaurants, bars, and shops. If traveling with children, this could make a good base camp for your Northern Idaho cycling adventures.
Unlike Harrison and Wallace, Kellogg makes no effort to woe cyclists from the trail. It would be nice, for instance, if Kellogg would provide directional signs for cyclists and a connector bike path or protected bike lane leading from the trail into town. You have to weave through city streets to get around, but keep in mind it’s a town of 2,000 so traffic isn’t heavy.
Wallace and Beyond
On the second day of my trail ride, I rode from Kellogg to the trail’s end in Mullan, about 26 miles, and then circled back to Wallace where I spent the night again at the Wallace Inn. The hotel graciously held my luggage and let me keep my minivan in their parking lot while I explored the trail for two days. This end of the trail is thickly forested with mountain views in the distance, a good way to end the ride.
Wallace definitely caters to cyclists and makes an interesting stop. It has an attractive historic downtown, good restaurants, and a colorful history. Back in the heyday of the mining boom, Wallace legalized prostitution and was home to several brothels. One former brothel, the Oasis Bordello, is now a museum where you can learn more about this peculiar aspect of history in the Silver Valley. By the way, the Oasis didn’t close until 1988, even though prostitution was officially made illegal again in Wallace early in the 20th century.
Economic Impact of the Trails
Bike trails have brought new prosperity to the Silver Valley, which suffered economically following the decline in mining.
“It has changed the whole dynamic of these small towns that were economically depressed,” Shaffer said. “Cyclists spend money. They are here to have a good time and to enjoy our trails.”
My hope would be that more towns along the CDA trail would learn from the success of Harrison and Wallace and become more focused on the needs of cycling tourists. There is a need for either a town or some private entrepreuners to create more lodging and dining opportunities in the long stretch between Harrison and Kellogg.
E-Bikes on the CDA Trail
If you are an e-bike rider like me, you will be welcomed on the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. The Department of Parks and Recreation approves the use of Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes. If you own a Class 3 e-bike, my best advice is to ride sensibly and keep your speed under 20 mph (the max speed for Class 1 and 2 e-bikes) and you won’t have a problem.
E-bikes are growing in popularity on this trail, as they are everywhere.
“Nine years ago, the trickle of e-bikes started happening,” Shaffer said. “Now the wave is here, the tsunami of e-biking is here.”
Other Nearby Trails
One of the appeals for cyclists of traveling to Northern Idaho is that the area is home to several interesting bike trails. Aside from the CDA trail, the most noteworthy is the Route of the Hiawatha. It is also a nationally recognized Rails to Trails Hall of Fame trail and is only 20-plus miles from the CDA trail or from Wallace. Although only 15 miles long, the Hiawatha trail is regarded as one of the most scenic and thrilling bike trails in the country. It packs 10 long and dark tunnels, seven sky-high trestles, and breath-taking mountain views into its relatively short distance.
The Hiawatha trail gets rave reviews, but despite that I chose not to ride it. Unlike most bike trails, this one is privately owned and you must pay an admission fee of $20 ($18 with advance reservation) plus you will likely need their shuttle service, for another $18 ($16 with advance registration). From reviews I read, the shuttle operator isn’t easy on hauling bikes. I was riding a new and not inexpensive e-bike that I did not want to see tossed into the back of a shuttle and scratched up. Some of the tunnels are quite muddy, so you can also expect you and your bike to need a good cleaning afterwards. I wasn’t thrilled about this either. Alternatively, you can rent a bike for $41 to $46. When I added up all the costs, it came to more than $100, including their rental bike. I decided to skip this one, but don’t let that discourage you from riding this highly acclaimed trail if you wish to do so. Read the reviews and form your own opinion.
Other Northern Idaho bike trails include the 12-mile Northern Pacific Trail and the 31-mile Route of the Olympian, Another popular ride is the Centennial Trail, which begins near the City of Coeur d’Alene and extends 64 miles well into Washington State. It is actually two adjoining trails, the Spokane River Centennial Trail and the Northern Idaho Centennial Trail.
With so many trails to ride and spectacular scenery, Northern Idaho makes a great destination for e-bikers and cyclists and all sorts.
I have heard of this trail and the Hiawatha and am happy to learn more about them from you. Sounds like a nice trip.My bucket list includes riding across the. U S on my ebike. Thanks for asking!