Hiawatha Trail

Is it too soon to reminisce about the long ago summer of 2006? That's what we do all winter... Think about the many adventures we had during the warm months, while planning new ones for next year.

We ended our summer with what is quite possibly the best bike trail in the country, The Hiawatha Trail.

This 17-mile route follows the old Milwaukee Railroad line through the Bitterroot Mountains of Idaho, winding through eleven tunnels and across nine high trestles.

The best part, for a family, is that the entire trip is on a gentle downhill dirt track. At the end is a shuttle bus waiting to take you back to the top. No huffing and puffing (or whining) for anybody.

The highlight of the ride comes at both the beginning and the end -- The 1.8-mile Taft Tunnel. You ride through it twice because the shuttle bus can't go through it, and the parking lot is on the other side. The tunnel is very dark, very wet, and totally disorienting because it curves slightly and you can't see the exit. We had good flashlights, but next time we'll have better ones.





While we were in there, one young man rode into the side of the tunnel and flipped his bike, cutting himself up quite badly. In the photo above, he's the guy without a shirt. Everybody stopped to give him band-aids.



My daughter had the easiest ride of all in this ride-behind bike. I was a little wary of pedaling 17 miles with an extra 50 pounds behind me, but the trail was so easy that it didn't make much difference.

The trip took us about four hours, and that was with frequent stops for resting, gawking at the view, lunch, and bathroom breaks. It was better than I had hoped for, and it's now my favorite thing to do in North Idaho. If you're ever in this area during the spring or summer, I highly recommend this trail. You don't have to be an avid biker to have a great time. My family will be riding the Hiawatha at least three or four times next summer.

Here are more photos to show you why...











Remember to always wear your bike helmet!