Fifteen miles of downhill rail trail through 10 tunnels and 7 trestles along the Bitterroot Mountains. One of America's great bike trails.
The Route of the Hiawatha follows 15 miles of former Milwaukee Road rail grade through the Bitterroot Mountains, starting at Lookout Pass on the Idaho-Montana border, 60 miles east of Coeur d'Alene. The trail descends gently through 10 tunnels, including the 1.66-mile Taft Tunnel at the summit, and crosses 7 trestles that span mountain valleys with views into the forest canopy below. The grade is consistently downhill, which means the ride is accessible to anyone who can comfortably sit on a bicycle, regardless of fitness level. A shuttle returns riders to the trailhead at the end.
The total cost of $55 to $75 covers the trail pass, shuttle service, and bike rental. Riders with their own bikes pay less. The trail operates from late May through mid-September, with daily access during peak season. The experience takes three to four hours including the shuttle, and the 60-minute drive from Coeur d'Alene makes this a half-day commitment at minimum.
The trail has appeared on numerous lists of the best bike trails in America, and the reputation is earned. The combination of the tunnels, which vary in length and are cool and dark enough to require the headlamp provided with rentals, and the trestles, which provide sudden openings onto mountain panoramas, creates a rhythm of enclosure and exposure that sustains interest for the full 15 miles.
The trailhead is at Lookout Pass, I-90 Exit 0, on the Idaho-Montana border. The drive from Coeur d'Alene takes approximately 60 minutes. The 2026 season runs May 22 through September 13. Arrive early in peak season to avoid shuttle wait times. The tunnels are dark and cool; a light jacket and the provided headlamp are necessary. The trail surface is packed gravel, suitable for mountain bikes and hybrid bikes. Road bikes are not recommended.
The Hiawatha trail delivers an experience that is difficult to replicate elsewhere: a long, gentle descent through mountain tunnels and across open trestles with no fitness barrier to entry. It is the activity that golfers and non-golfers alike tend to cite as a trip highlight, and it deserves its national reputation.