The Route of the Hiawatha

The Crown Jewel of America’s Rails to Trails System

The Route of the Hiawatha, Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, Nor-Pac Trail, and Old Milwaukee Trail are part of a 300K Rails to Trails System known as the Bitterroot Loop. The crown jewel of the Bitteroot Loop, and perhaps the entire Rails to Trails system, is the Route of the Hiawatha.

The Route of the Hiawatha is a 15 mile downhill route, beginning in Montana and ending in Idaho. The packed dirt and gravel path takes you over 7 soaring train trestles and into 10 deep dark tunnels, including the 1.66 mile Taft Tunnel. See waterfalls and remnants of the people who built the West all while gliding through the hills and forests of Idaho and Montana’s National Forest land.

The trail begins at the East Portal Trailhead in Taft, MT and ends at the Pearson Trailhead in Pearson, ID. Trail Passes are required to ride the Trail. Lookout Pass, the concessionaire for the trail, operates a shuttle that takes riders from the bottom to the top of the trail. E-Bikers may prefer to ride the trail both ways. Class 1 E-Bikes are allowed on the trail.

Riding the Hiawatha is a 4-8 hour event. The trail is ridden by riders of all ages and abilities but riders should be aware that you will cycle in dark muddy tunnels and over trestles hundreds of feet tall. This may not be an ideal trail for riders who have a fear of heights, the dark, or confined spaces.

The Route of the Hiawatha is the most popular rail to trail in Idaho and Montana, and one of the most popular in the United States. In 2010, it was inducted into the Rails to Trails Conservancy Hall of Fame, along with the Trail of the Coeur D Alenes.

Getting There

Directions from Spokane, WA | Directions from Coeur D Alene, ID | Directions from St Regis, MT

The Route of the Hiawatha is located off of Exit 5, I-90 in Montana. If you’re driving your own vehicle, follow the brown signs to the East Portal Trailhead. The East Portal Trailhead is the beginning of the Hiawatha and is located 2.3 miles south of Exit 5 on Rainy Creek Rd (Forest Service Road 506). Please note that parking can be challenging at the East Portal Trailhead, so arrive early.

If you’re taking a shuttle from the Spokehouse, or meeting the Spokehouse shuttle, you’ll begin your ride in Taft, MT. Meet in the large gravel/dirt parking lot on the south side of I-90. It’s just off of Exit 5 – you can’t miss it. From there, you’ll bike 2.3 miles to the East Portal Trailhead. Due to US Forest Service Regulations, shuttles are not allowed at the East Portal Trailhead.

Bike Rental

Need to rent a bike for the Route of the Hiawatha? Honestly, there’s a ton of options, and of course we’d love if you chose to rent from us. In the end though, we want you to choose the bike and rental location that works best for your situation. Here are a few options depending on your situation:

Standard Bikes (Non-Electric):

• I’d like to rent a bike and don’t have a way to transport it to the Hiawatha: Lookout Pass is the exclusive concessionaire that rents bikes right from the Hiawatha. With an online reservation, bikes can be picked up at the East Portal Trailhead and do not require transportation.  Please note that if you do not have a reservation, you will be required to pickup the bikes at Lookout Pass, a 12 mile bike ride to the Hiawatha.
• I’d like to rent a bike and have a way to transport it to the Hiawatha: If you are riding both the Trail of the Coeur D Alenes and the Hiawatha on a multi-day adventure, then Trek FX1 Disc and Trek FX1 Disc Stagger from The Cycle Haus are great options. These can be picked up in Harrison, ID. Please note that Harrison is approximately 1 hour from the Route of the Hiawatha. If you are travelling from Spokane or Coeur D Alene and just doing a one day trip to the Hiawatha, then we recommend renting from CDA Bike in Kellogg. CDA Bike rents high quality bikes for the Route of the Hiawatha. They are on the way to the Hiawatha for easy pickup and drop off.

Electric Bikes:

• I’d like to rent an electric bike and don’t have a way to transport it to the Hiawatha: Our partners at The Spokehouse rent high quality electric bikes for the Route of the Hiawatha. They also provide delivery and pick up service to Taft, MT, a quick 2.3 mile bike ride to the East Portal Trailhead (start of the Hiawatha). E-Bikes from The Spokehouse can be rented here.
• I’d like to rent an electric bike and have a way to transport it to the Hiawatha: The Spokehouse provides the closest E-bike rentals for the Route of the Hiawatha. These bikes can be picked up in Wallace, ID, approximately a 25 minute drive to the Hiawatha. If you are planning a multi-day adventure on both the Trail of the Coeur D Alenes and Route of the Hiawatha, then you may want to pick up your E-Bike from The Cycle Haus in Harrison, ID. Please note that Harrison is approximately a 1 hour drive from the Hiawatha. All E-bikes picked up from The Spokehouse and The Cycle Haus require either an E-Bike rated rack or a tailgate pad. Tailgate pads can be rented from both locations.

Electric Bikes

Class 1 E-bikes are allowed on the Route of the Hiawatha. Class 1 E-Bikes are pedal assist E-bikes with a max speed of 20 MPH. They do not have a throttle. Class 2 E-Bikes are allowed provided the throttle has been disabled. Lookout Pass may inspect the bike to ensure the throttle has been disabled. Class 3 E-bikes are prohibited.

Lookout Pass charges an additional $10 fee to carry E-bikes on their shuttle. E-bikes may also be deprioritized over acoustic bikes. Given this, it’s recommended that if you plan to use an E-bike that you don’t use the shuttle and ride the Hiawatha both downhill and uphill. Alternatively, E-Bikes are a great option for riding the Hiawatha one way and continuing over Moon Pass to Wallace, ID.

The Cycle Haus and The Spokehouse rent electric bikes for the Route of the Hiawatha. We request that you do not transport these bikes on the shuttle operated by Lookout Pass.

Trail Passes

Purchase Trail Pass Here

Trail passes are required to ride the Route of the Hiawatha. Trail passes can be purchased from Lookout Pass, the USFS concessionaire for the trail. Trail passes are available for purchase online until 48 hours prior to the day of your ride. Trail passes are always available for sale at the East Portal Trailhead. On Monday – Thursday, you can purchase just a trail pass or a trail pass with a shuttle ticket. On Friday – Sunday Lookout Pass requires you to purchase both a trail pass and shuttle ticket, even if you do not plan to ride the shuttle.

TRAIL PASS PRICES:

Adults – Ages 13 & up
– Monday – Thursday: $20, or $18 with an online reservation.
– Friday – Sunday: $40, or $36 with an online reservation. (Includes both a trail & shuttle pass.) 

Child – Ages 5-12 years 
– Monday – Thursday: $16, or $14 with an online reservation.
– Friday – Sunday: $32 or $28 with an online reservation. (Includes both a trail & shuttle pass.)

Children 4 & under free with a paying adult

Shuttle

Purchase Shuttle Pass Here

Lookout Pass, the concessionaire for the US Forest Service, operates a shuttle that takes cyclists from the bottom to the top of the Hiawatha. This allows cyclists to ride the trail downhill, one way. A shuttle pass can be purchased in conjunction with your trail pass. Please note that on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Lookout Pass requires you purchase both a trail pass and a shuttle pass, even if you do not intend to use their shuttle. Please note that this shuttle service is different from the shuttle provided by The Spokehouse which takes cyclists from Wallace, ID to/from the Hiawatha.

Lookout Pass’s shuttle fills up quickly and riders have reported as long as 2 hour wait times during prime times (1PM – 4PM in June, July, & Early August). Consider riding the trail first thing in the morning (8:30AM) or during the off-season (Early September) to avoid the crowds. If you’re riding an E-bike we recommend skipping the shuttle and riding the Hiawatha round trip or back to Wallace via Moon Pass.

Note that the shuttle transports riders from the Pearson Trailhead at the bottom of the Hiawatha to the Roland Trailhead (AKA West Portal). Riders will then disembark the shuttle and bike the 1.661 mile Taft Tunnel a 2nd time back to the East Portal Trailhead.

SHUTTLE PASS PRICES:

(Shuttle operated by Lookout Pass from bottom to top of the Hiawatha)

 Adults ages 13 & up
– Monday – Thursday: $20, or $18 if you make an online reservation.
– Friday – Sunday: Trail pass rates include the shuttle pass.

Children ages 5-12 years
– Monday – Thursday: $16 or $14 if you make an online reservation.
– Friday- Sunday: Trail pass rates include the shuttle pass.

What to Know

1. Riding the Hiawatha is a ton of fun! It’s muddy and beautiful and dark and steep. There’s waterfalls and mountains and trees – A bike ride the way God intended.
2. A trail pass is required to ride the trail. They can be purchased here or at the East Portal Trailhead.
3. Lookout Pass operates a shuttle that takes riders from the bottom of the hill to the top of the hill. A shuttle pass can be purchased with your trail pass. On Fri-Sun, you are required to purchase a shuttle pass with your trail pass, even if you don’t intend to ride the shuttle.
4. E-bike rentals from the Spokehouse can be delivered to Taft, MT. If you’ve rented a bike with delivery, meet at The Spokehouse in Wallace, ID at 10AM for check-in. From there, you will follow The Spokehouse shuttle to Taft, MT.  Taft is right off of I-90, Exit 5. You will then bike 2.3 miles to the East Portal Trailhead. Commercial vehicles are not allowed at the East Portal Trailhead.
5. You will get muddy! The tunnels are wet even in the heat of the summer. Some folks like to bring a change of clothes for after the ride.
6. You will ride in two different time zones. Montana is in Mountain Time and Idaho is in Pacific Time. Make sure to sync the time with your group. All times provided by The Spokehouse and The Cycle Haus are in Pacific Time.
7. Class 1 E-Bikes are allowed on the Trail. In addition, Class 2 E-Bikes with the throttle disconnected are allowed. Class 3 E-bikes are not allowed on the Trail.
8. There is no cell coverage.
9. There are often long wait times for the shuttle operated by Lookout Pass. This can be avoided by riding early in the morning, riding in the off season, or riding the trail both ways. An E-bike is ideal for riding the trail both ways.
10. A light is required for the tunnels. 300 lumen is the minimum brightness, but a 500+ lumen light is ideal.
11. Most accidents happen in the Taft Tunnel. Make sure to slow down, take off your sunglasses, and be cautious of the drainage ditches on the side of the tunnel.
12. Food and water are for sale at the East Portal and Pearson Trailheads but it’s recommended that you bring a full lunch and a water bottle.
13. You will share the 2^nd tunnel with shuttle buses. Listen for them to honk. There is a refuge behind the concrete barriers if a vehicle comes.
14. If you are looking for a bigger adventure, The Hiawatha can be ridden one way from Taft, MT to Wallace, ID. You will ride the Route of the Hiawatha and then continue your ride over Moon Pass back to Wallace. Be aware that this route has significant elevation gains and losses. The Spokehouse provides a shuttle for riders interested in this option.

Moon Pass

Moon Pass is a route that can be taken from the bottom of the Hiawatha at the Pearson Trailhead to Wallace, ID. It is sometimes referred to as “The Hiawatha: Part 2.” Moon Pass has significant elevation gains and losses, climbing 2005 Feet and descending 2441 Feet over 20.9 miles. Most of the elevation gains take place over a 6 mile period.

To ride Moon Pass from the Pearson Trailhead, go past the shuttle buses operated by Lookout Pass. Take a right on the St Joe River Rd. This road is also known as Forest Service Rd 1997, Forest Service Rd 456, or Moon Pass Rd. The road will turn left and turn into Forest Service Rd 456/Moon Pass Rd. Approximately 11.4 miles into your journey, you will need to turn right to stay on Forest Service Rd 456. This road is also known as Placer Creek Rd. The roads can be confusing in this area and it’s important to follow the brown signs toward Wallace and stay on Forest Service Rd 456. You will follow this Rd past the Pulaski Tunnel Trail and into Wallace.

Moon Pass is shared with vehicles and ATV’s however it’s generally unpopulated. This can be refreshing compared to the crowds at the Hiawatha. You will need to be prepared to be self sufficient in this area. There is no cell coverage. Bring plenty of food and water and bring the necessary tools to fix a flat tire and do other basic bike repair.

If you are riding an E-Bike on Moon Pass, it’s recommended that you ride a bike with significantly longer battery range than 37.7 Mi Taft to Wallace route suggests. A bike with a 55 mile range or more is ideal. The 6 mile hill over Moon Pass will significantly drain your battery. It is recommended that you arrive at the bottom of the Hiawatha (Pearson Trailhead) with 75% of your battery and that you begin the Moon Pass grade with at least 60% of your battery. Don’t worry if you run out of battery after the summit – it is mostly down hill to Wallace.

If you would like to ride Moon Pass, The Spokehouse offers 1 Way shuttle service from Wallace, ID to Taft, MT. They also offer E-Bike rentals for Moon Pass. Click here to book these services.