Start Date:

Jul 05, 2020

End Date:

Jul 10, 2020

Start Location:

Plummer, ID

End Location:

Plummer, ID

Total Days:

6

Riding Days:

5

Rest Days:

1

Miles:

146

Average Daily Mileage:

29.2

Surface:

Bike Trail/Paved

Riders:

50

Airport:

Spokane Intl. (GEG)

Meals:

Catered meals

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Meals - Catered meals

Our catering staff will provide all meals and rest stops will be located approximately every 25 miles. You'll start each day with a hot breakfast, followed by a mid-morning rest stop to fuel you on to lunch. Another rest stop awaits you mid-afternoon and you'll be rewarded each evening with a sumptuous dinner. Vegetarian and special dietary needs will be accommodated, though food selection may be limited in some locations.

Accommodations:

Camping, Motel Options

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Accommodations - Camping, Motel Options

Campsites range from private campgrounds to state parks to school athletic fields. Bathrooms are available at each evening's campsite. If access to indoor facilities is unavailable or insufficient, we may supplement the facilities with portable toilets and a shower truck. Fully supported tours are designed to be primarily camping trips, but motel options are often available at the participants' expense. For those who elect to stay indoors, a list of indoor accommodations is provided 60 days before your trip's departure and participants must make their own arrangements for indoor lodging. In most cases, motels will be located within a few miles of the official campsite and we will be happy to pick up and drop off luggage from the lodging facilities identified in the Tour Information Packet. You will need a good freestanding tent with a ground cloth, a sleeping bag rated appropriately for the season and elevation of your tour, and a sleeping pad.

Physical Difficulty:

Beginner

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Physical Difficulty - Beginner

Characterized by flatter terrain and comparatively shorter distances (25–45 miles per day). These tours have minimal hill climbing and are optimal for newer or easy-going cyclists, or those traveling with friends or family members unaccustomed to cycling. Exception: Family Fun trips tend to have mileage in the 20- to 30-mile per day range.

Level of Support:

Fully Supported

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Level Of Support - Fully Supported

Adventure Cycling's fully supported tours — where all personal and group gear is transported by a vehicle each day — are larger groups (typically between 40 and 90 riders) who will camp together with occasional indoor overnights and enjoy catered meals. Indoor lodging options are often available at the participant's expense (see “Accommodations” for more information).

Cost:

$1,249.00

Overview

This incredible bike tour takes in a pair of the most spectacular trails in the U.S., featuring easy riding through wetlands, lakes, and meadows, along with some fascinating regional history.

The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes traces the course of an abandoned Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way, reaching from the Silver Valley, situated near the Montana-Idaho border, to Plummer, not far from Idaho’s border with Washington. The Route of the Hiawatha originates in Montana and burrows beneath the state line through the memorable 1.7-mile-long Taft Tunnel. We’ll then pass through several more tunnels and ride over numerous trestles, some of them an impressive 200-plus feet high.

With its gentle terrain, short daily distances, and gorgeous scenery, this trip is a great choice whether you’re a beginner seeking an introduction to supported bicycle touring or a cycling veteran craving a mellow, traffic-free adventure.

Day 1

Plummer, 0 miles. You’ll meet your fellow riders, your tour leader and staff, and your caterer at today’s orientation meeting at the western terminus of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. Following introductions and a lip-smacking dinner, you’ll crawl into your tent and dream of the upcoming five days of carefree cycling.

Day 2

Plummer to Cataldo, 36 miles. After breakfast we’ll climb aboard our touring bikes and begin coasting along Coeur d’Alene Lake over the photogenic, 3,100-foot Chatcolet Bridge, with its cool stair-step design that’s a blast to ride over. Built in 1921 as a railroad bridge, it’s expressly for cyclists and hikers today. We’ll continue along the trail at a slightly downhill grade past marshes and wetlands, squeezing between Swan Lake and Cave Lake along the Coeur d’Alene River. You’ll want to be sure to keep an eye out for the incredible variety of birds, including osprey, that summer in the area. Our camp is just outside Cataldo at the Kahnderosa Campground.

Day 3

Cataldo to Wallace, 31 miles. Today we’ll continue up the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes to the Silver Valley, alongside the river and through pine forests to historic Wallace — famous as the “Silver Capital of the World.” Along the way, we’ll take a side trip to the Old Mission State Park and visit the oldest building still standing in Idaho. The Sacred Heart Mission was built between 1850 and 1853 by Catholic missionaries and members of the Coeur d’Alene tribe — incredibly, without the use of a single nail. In the afternoon, you’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the beauty and history of Wallace. You might choose to hike the Pulaski Tunnel Trail, take a Sierra Silver mine tour, or enjoy the local Sixth Street Melodrama.

Day 4

Route of the Hiawatha, 15 miles. Our day will begin with an optional shuttle ride to the East Portal trailhead of the Route of the Hiawatha. Don’t forget to pack your headlamp, because you’ll ride through 10 extremely dark tunnels on this scenic rail trail, including the 1.7-mile-long Taft Tunnel. Your group will also cross seven lofty trestles offering magnificent views of the surrounding forested mountains. You’ll gradually cover 15 miles of the gravel-surfaced trail through the heart of the rugged Bitterroot Mountains to the Pearson Trailhead before catching the shuttle back to Wallace. We’ll then spend another night in the Silver Valley.

Day 5

Wallace to Harrison, 49 miles. We’ll zip back along the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes to the delightful community of Harrison and our campsite for the evening. You’ll enjoy this quaint, quiet town and all it has to offer: ice cream, the Crane House Museum, and swimming in Lake Coeur d’Alene. We’ll dine as a group for the final time tonight and, after communing around the campfire, fall asleep beneath the star-filled Idaho sky.

Day 6

Harrison to Plummer, 15 miles. After re-crossing the Chatcolet Bridge, we’ll climb to our ending point, keeping a sharp eye out for eagles, osprey, moose, and elk, which are common in the area. We’ll say our goodbyes in Plummer, thoroughly relaxed and rejuvenated after our week of mellow cycling and great sightseeing in the gorgeous and serene panhandle of Idaho.

"We enjoyed the beer tasting right next to campground, the Route of the Hiawatha scenery and history, and seeing moose, osprey, and herons."

"I loved that it was relaxed. We all went at our own pace. There was no urgency, we we're able to enjoy the scenery, little towns and each others company."

"Our morning ride over Hiawatha Trail was the highlight of the trip. We began the trail at the east portal and pedaled slightly downhill for 15 miles. Navigating the totally dark 1.7-mile tunnel on an unfamiliar hybrid rental bicycle with the sound of dripping water as an accompaniment and the guiding headlight of the distant rider ahead was a surreal experience. Emerging from the tunnel to the beauty of the Bitterroot Mountains was breathtaking. Winding down the trail, crossing over the high wooden trestles made us realize the work that went into building this railroad. What a beautiful asset this trail is for all the people who come to enjoy it. What made this ride special was the leisurely pace we were allowed to ride — lots of time to take pictures, lots of time to read the informational signposts along the way, and lots of time to just soak in the beauty of the day. Thanks."

"The Hiawatha Trail was the highlight for me. The information along the way giving the history of the railroad and the building of the line through the rugged terrain was excellent. The moose sightings were an added bonus, along with other wildlife."