spinnaker

Already planning for 2020 and I don't have 2019 out of the way yet. I have been thinking about this tour for some time now. And it is the Couer D'Alene trail combined with the Route of the Hiawatha Trail.

When I was planning this trip before, there seemed to be no way to get from Mullan, ID to Taft, MT (start of the Hiawatha) other than to get on I90. But now google maps seems to be showing a route. It sort of follows I90 and wraps around all over the place. It starts with Willow Creek Road out of Mullan then connects to what google calls the Northern Pacific Trail.


Does anyone know if this route actually exists? If so, can you tell me the road / trail conditions?


If you look closely at the map, I can see where it might be a bit tricky, once at the end of Willow Creek Road. Looks like there are two trails there .

spinnaker

Interesting that ride with gps does not show that same route so I am skeptical that it is passable.

indyfabz

When I was at Lookout Pass two years ago a woman working at the store told me not to take Willow Creek Rd. because it was in horrible shape. You can simply take the NorPac Trail. Take Friday Ave. to Larson Rd to pick up the trail behind the fish hatchery. No sure if the trail west of that point is rideable. Looking at the satellite view it looks like it might not be.

And that map you posted isn't even for Mullan to East Portal.

Here:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29902130?beta=false

I have ridden the part between Taft and Lookout Pass. Took I-90 down from the pass to Mullan.

Ignore that big spike after mile16. I think it's GPS reading off the top of the short tunnel you pass through.

Note that the trail mileage is not "warm and fuzzy" like the GAP. It's gravel/dirt with some rocks. And it's not flat.

What is your plan when you get to East Portal. The RoH runs west from there, back into Idaho. It ends in the middle of nowhere. You have to take Moon Pass Rd. for over 9 miles to reach Avery. See here, which is my June plan:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29428535?beta=false

The way back into MT is the reverse of what I am planning. The mileage from the border to St. Regis, MT is not paved.

Doug64

It is a short distance from Mullen to Taft, about 13 miles, on I90, and it has a good shoulder. Even with the uphill it should be less than 2 hours riding time.

spinnaker

Crap not sure what happened. Maybe this works?

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/47.4...1!3e1?hl=en-US


I haven't decided what to do when getting to Taft. For sure I am going to ride the Hiawatha, I am opting for continuing south to Avery then looping back to Spokane.

While I would like to go to Whitefish, to pick up the train home (train schedule out of Spokane sucks). From I reading here riding into Whitefish is not ideal. Another issue is finding credit card lodging along the way as I won't be camping. In addition I might be doing this solo and that leg of the trip might be a little more adventure then I am prepared to handle.


I understand there is also a shuttle from Wallace to Taft which I am not opposed to using.

spinnaker

I assume you rode this? Sorry you may have told me in the past. Did you ride I90 the whole way? Or was it part trail?

I am sort of leaning to just taking the shuttle but it would be nice to know options.

Again this won't be till NEXT year so have time to plan. Was going to do it this year as I am really anxious to see both of those trails but have am Amtrak voucher I need to use and as mentioned Spokane sucks for schedules so I needed to figure out a tour where I could use the train.

I might build in a day or two layover in Mullan or Wallace just to get a first hand look at what those Norpac trails look like. Sort of an out an back sort of thing. If conditions get really bad then just turn around.

indyfabz

The ride down from Lookout Pass to Mullan on I-90 wasn't bad. Not that much traffic for an Interstate Highway on a Monday afternoon.

Here are samples of what the NorPac Trail looks like east of Lookout Pass. I'd say this is the smoothest the surface is. And you are going to want to walk through the tunnel. Don't worry. It's short. Very pretty back there. Saw several deer and an elk. You can get a sense of some of the grades from the third photo. You'd be going down. Note that it is open to motor vehicles. I saw one car my way up and then two kids on ATVs as I got closer to Lookout Pass.

indyfabz

Unless you turn around from the western most trailhead (Pearson) at end of the Hiawatha and ride back to East Portal, you have no choice but to ride to Avery. There are a limited number of cabins for rent in Avery.

You sure about that shuttle from Wallace? The only one I have ever heard of only runs between certain trailheads of the Hiawatha.

indyfabz

And the quality of riding into Whitefish depends on from where you are coming. I rode in from Eureka in 2017. Not the greatest. But riding between there and Missoula wasn't bad in most places, if you don't mind some benign dirt. Stayed in Bigfork and Seeley Lake. Both offer lodging. The distance between Seeley Lake and Bigfork is long with limited services, but it was nice.

spinnaker

Well it was as of a few years ago. There was a post about it on Trip Advisor. Someone at the hotel in Wallace I think. Also I found a supported tour of the two trails. They say nothing bout how they get you to the Hiawatha. I assume it is a shuttle. Supported tour looks like a family type thing so I doubt they would ride I90 or a rocky bike trail.

spinnaker

Don't think it is a regular shuttle. Something you need to contract so probably expensive. They do have a shuttle on the Hiawatha to bring you back to East Portal if you choose to do that.

spinnaker

There is dinner and breakfast in Avery correct? There is (or was) a warmshowers host there. Don't know if he is active.

Did you continue on the Hiawatha to get to Avery?

John N

When I road this a few years ago on a Spokane to Missoula to Lewiston to Spokane Loop Tour, we had to catch a required ride by I-DOT due to road constrruction between Exit 69 and Loopout Pass parking lot where we rode down I-90 with no issues to the RoH Taft entrance. If not for the construction, I would have ridden I-90 up it since the east sound side was torn up, missing, and actively worked on and the westbound lanes were two-way with no shoulder, it made riding it impossible.

A local rider indicated the NO-PAC trail was ridable but difficult in places as it was heavy gravel in places.

Once we finished, the RoH, we kept riding downhill to Avery instead of taking the optional bus which brings you back to Taft entrance. The bus tickets were able to be bought at Lookout Pass and possibly at the entrance. I can't remember where we bought the actual pass tickets, at Lookout or at the entrance.

The ride from the end of RoH to Avery was overall fine. Packed gravel, mostly downhill, and traffic was light and generally reasonable. Avery had a limited grocery/convenience store which also had limited "cafe food" (mostly frozen stuff that could be microwaved but a few sandwiches as well); a small hotel, and campgrounds. We stayed at the hotel before continuing upriver along the St Jo River Road, similar to the Lochsa but to me, much better as it is very quiet and goes right along the river in places. Lots of FS CGs but be sure to bring water (or a filter), and food as there is no food services between Avery and St Regis. The climb from St. Jo to St. Regis along NF-388 was paved and slow but fine. The downhill along NF-282 was on gravel/dirt and hardly put on the brakes until close to I-90.

Supposedly, the rail trail between Taft and St Regis is now open (or open in places). I am not sure but it was closed when I did this a few years ago.

Regardless, have a great trip! John

indyfabz

I haven't done the Hiawatha yet. That's scheduled for this June. I rode from St. Regis to Wallace using I-90, frontage roads, some of the Olympian Trail, the NorPac Trail to Lookout, I-90 to Mullan then the CdA Trail to Wallace.

This year I am going to ride from St. Regis over into ID, camp along the St. Joe River about 9 miles west of Avery. The next day I will go into town, ride Moon Pass Rd. to the Hiawatha, do that, descend down to Taft and then take the NorPac to Lookout and then continue on to Wallace. Won't know if I'll descend on I-90 or ride the rest of the NorPac down to Mullan. in 2017 I was tired of gravel and running a bit behind so I took I-90 down. Fast, 7 or so mile descent.

There appears to be only two places in Avery to get food. A fly shop that makes sandwiches and a deli/hotel across the street that also makes sandwiches and sells snack stuff. Both are open only until 6 p.m. According to the old web site, the deli/hotel was up for sale. It now has a new web site and the sale notice is gone, which makes me think someone bought it.

spinnaker

Pics on google show some sort of dining car.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Av...4d-115.8062151

Making just a historic artifact? If you look closely, does not appear to have a lot going on.

Surprising there is not a restaurant there at least in season. Thought it was a destination for fisherman?


Please bring back a report when riding through the area including trail conditions etc.

spinnaker

Found an old article from 2013 on Avery, Apparently, some time recent to the article's writing, there was a historic pub that burned to the ground. Owner said he planned to rebuild. Could not find follow up.

indyfabz

That's the former Milwaukee Road lounge car "Twin Grove." It's an adjunct to a Milwaukee Road museum, which is housed in the Avery train station.

I'll be back at the beginning of July.

spinnaker

The cabin site mentions only the two places you listed for eats. But the motel site mentions a spaghetti dinner, sounds like it was a group. So sounds like they are at least accommodating to groups (or were). I am trying to put a small group together.