Biking Idaho: A Route of the Hiawatha Adventure: Tunnels, Trestles, and Thrills

Embark on a biking adventure like no other as we explore the mesmerizing Route of the Hiawatha. Nestled within the majestic Bitterroot Mountains, this iconic trail spans over 15 miles of historic railway turned biking bliss. The journey kicks off at the East Portal Trailhead in Montana, where the echoes of the past whisper tales of the old railway's glory.
The trail's crown jewel is the Taft Tunnel, a 1.6-mile-long passage enveloped in darkness and mystery. As your bike light pierces through the shadows, you'll experience the thrill of traversing the longest tunnel on the route, and the second longest rail trail tunnel in the US. But the adventure doesn't stop there - traverse high trestles and bridges, conquer St. Paul Pass for an elevation high, and marvel at the Loop Creek Trestle's breathtaking views. The Route of the Hiawatha promises an unforgettable ride through nature's grandeur and historical intrigue. Every pedal stroke unveils a new chapter in this outdoor escapade, making it a must-experience trail for biking enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. Come along and join the journey as we soak in the beauty and history of the Route of the Hiawatha! This ride took place September 1, 2023.
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[@brentcollins9727]

What an AWESOME trail and lovely music

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Thank you for watching.

[@garyseckel295]

So much beauty to see! Totally incredible! Thanks for sharing!

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Hi Gary, Thank you for your continued support.

[@68BigSherm]

So beautiful it actually brought tears to my eyes.

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Definitely a breathtaking part of the country. Thanks for watching.

[@dtbiz1]

I remember when I took a Train ride through this this trail to Chicago in 1960. I can still see it.

[@Adventuresonebikes]

That’s amazing!! It would be wild to ride the train and then come back years later and then ride the bike trail. Thanks for watching.

[@kristidubois8400]

That little critter was actually a youngster golden-mantled ground squirrel, not a chipmunk. We rode the Hiawatha in late summer last year, and that little beggar was doing his thing on the trestle. I discouraged him from climbing on my bike. Too many people had been feeding him, I expect. Rabies is highly unlikely, but any of these rodents can carry hantavirus and some other diseases. We took the shuttle and spent more time waiting for it than the actual shuttle ride took. We were on our regular bikes, but next time we will take our class 1 ebikes and ride back up. It is a bit of a hump to ride up on regular bikes, unless you have better knees than I do. This is one of the nicer videos I've seen on the Hiawatha, so great job! I very much enjoy your bicycling videos.

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Thanks for that additional information - it’s quite interesting. Randy, fortunately, didn’t suffer any ill effects of the bite. Thank you for your kind comments and for watching.

[@jamesbice6262]

Good information did bikes do ok on the trail gravel and all ours is about the same set up as yours thanks for taking us along

[@wheelzandgillz]

I've tried watching this several times on my phone and I just can't do it! There's soo much to take in I need to watch it on the big screen, thank you soo much!! With the dreamy winter wonderland music I kept imagining how beautiful the trail must look with some snow on the trees

[@Adventuresonebikes]

That's the truth! This trail has so much to see and it's so beautiful seeing all of the trestles poking out of the trees. I haven't looked it at on my phone, but I'm sure you miss a lot. Thanks for taking a minute to comment and thanks for watching.

[@johnsampson2544]

I'm watching this video on 6/05/2024. Very nicely done. Next Monday (6/10) I'll be driving from Boise to Avery, and on Tuesday I'll be riding from Avery to the East Portal and back down again. A 50-mile round trip, and I get to go through the scary, long tunnel twice. I hope the weather is as nice as you had.

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Sounds like a really great time! Thanks for sharing and for your support of our channel.

[@tjolsonmcse]

That chipmunk said, "Look how cute I am, maybe you could drop some trail mix?"

[@Adventuresonebikes]

I like it! Maybe then he wouldn’t have wanted to chew on hands. Thanks for watching.

[@rochrides8730]

Love you videos and your zest for adventure , god bless you both

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Thank you for your kind words, and thanks for watching. We'll "see" you on our next adventure.

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Thank you for your kind comments. We appreciate your support. Thanks for watching.

[@stevenwarner7348]

OOPS. I had a thought about having coffee with you guys. It would be great to talk with both of you. Here in New Hampshire that is. Just a thought. Anyway. Thank you for these posts. This trail is pretty epic. Wow. You share dreams. 👍

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Thanks for your kind words and the invite. We were just sorta your way -- in Maine in June. It would be fun to get together, but not sure when we will be back that way. We appreciate your support of our channel.

[@stevenwarner7348]

@@Adventuresonebikes no no no. It's the part about being a "fan." Just a quick impulsive comment that makes no sense. Best wishes.

[@meltedcubetv9379]

Great video with one camera. Informative. Keep em coming…

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Thanks for your support of our channel. More to come…..

[@bergmanst]

Another beautiful video.

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Thank you for your kind comment and your support of our channel.

[@Airtruksrus]

Loved riding the trail down and back up as well, beautiful views, definitely worth the fee. Trying to get to get another friend to ride it next time.

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Thanks for watching and sharing your experience. This is a great trail and very different from anything we have to ride in the North East.

[@letsridebikes]

Looks like an amazing trip. Now I must go

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Definitely should be on a bike ride bucket list. All of the trails we rode out West were so beautiful. Thanks for watching and taking a minute to comment.

[@gearadventures]

Another great video, looks like an amazing trail to ride on in a beautiful location.

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Thanks for watching and taking a minute to comment. It is a beautiful trail.

[@Adventuresonebikes]

This was our first trip to Idaho and Washington. It is so beautiful there and this was a wonderful trail. Thanks for watching and for taking a minute to comment.

[@davidgeorge7443]

Beautiful

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Thanks for watching.

[@joseadavila7445]

that is a very nice trail .

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Couldn’t agree more!! Thanks for watching.

[@JB-np5xi]

After going thu the tunnel at the state line toward Montana, (in a company truck was fun). Once you go tru it to on the Montana side, there is a tight curve with a campground. Being tight, lots of cars de-railed over the years. Look on the outside of the curve. Some ore nuggets may still be some there.

[@Adventuresonebikes]

That would be fun to look for ore! Thanks for sharing.

[@JB-np5xi]

When it was first being built around 2001, I was working on the Touch America fiber line and renting a room in an old motel in Smelterville Idaho. They were just starting it. I would ride up toward Walace and chost back down. Fee??? When I rode it, it was being built. Harrison Bridge was far off at that time. Trains (bike path) carried silver/lead ore from the mines for smelting (Smelterville) Idaho, all containing high amounts of heavy metals. I used to pick up chunks of silver/lead ore from old train wrecks. Could only go about 2mi past Smelterville, rest was under construction.

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Wow!! Thanks for sharing your story. Very interesting.

[@pedrofernandez8729]

Great video, but you did not mention if they had given you any problems since you had e bikes with throttles. Also I wish we had seen the beginning of the ride a little more detailed, like where do you leave your vehicle and getting tickets and all.

[@Adventuresonebikes]

Hi Pedro, We have Class 1 ebikes - so we don’t have a throttle. So all was cool. There is a parking lot at the trail head (where we started) and you can get a ticket there if you want. You may have noticed a tent at the trailhead? They sell the tickets right there. There are other ways to get tickets and I included a link to the official Hiawatha trail site for anyone who wants to check out the options. Thanks for watching.

[@pedrofernandez8729]

@@Adventuresonebikes Oops! I forgot you guys had class 1 e bikes.But did they check to see?

[@Adventuresonebikes]

No worries. We took our ride on the weekend and it was pretty crowded. No one paid much attention to us other than to make sure we paid. Our batteries are built into the frame, so it’s not as obvious as the batteries that are attached outside. I didn’t get a sense they were doing a lot of checking.

[@Ebiketips1]

What city is the starting point for the trail and where is the closest hotel? Where to begin😀

[@Adventuresonebikes]

The closest city to the East Portal is Taft, MT, and to get to the East Portal we rode for a few miles off I-90 on a dirt road. The West Portal is near Pearson, ID. The trail runs downhill from East to West and you can get a shuttle back to the top -- so that's everyone's preferred route -- although we rode both ways. As far as a hotel, we camped in Kellogg, ID so I'm not sure I can give a lot of advice on that. However, Wallace, ID is about 30-45 minutes from the East Portal and had a couple of hotels. The trail website may also be of help to you: www.ridethehiawatha.com/trail-maps. Thanks for watching.

[@Ebiketips1]

@@Adventuresonebikes thank you so much!

[@Adventuresonebikes]

@@Ebiketips1 We hope you get a chance to get out on this great trail!

[@laurieohleger7517]

Where do you live??

[@Adventuresonebikes]

We live in NY State. Thanks for watching.