By Mariah Cannon
The Route of the Hiawatha is a 15 mile biking trail located in northern Idaho near a small mining town on the Idaho/Montana border and it is not only magical, but so much fun. It is often referred to as the crown jewel of rail-to-trail adventures. Here is everything you need to know before going and some helpful tips when planning!
I am giving you this guide from the Idaho side, specifically in Wallace, Idaho and starting from the East Portal, however a lot can be rearranged to make any entrance and direction work.
Where is the Route of the Hiawatha
As I mentioned it above, the Hiawatha is located near Wallace, Idaho in the North Eastern part of Idaho right along the Idaho/Montana border. The trail itself starts just passed the Lookout Pass ski area off exit 5 on I-90. Fun fact: You actually do cross into Montana to start the trail and halfway through, there’s a section you can stop biking in the tunnel and be standing in Idaho and Montana at the same time – standing on the state line!
Getting there from Wallace, Idaho:
- Get onto I-90 East bound
- Continue onto I-90 for about 12 miles and take exit 0 to Lookout Pass Ski lodge (this is where you have to check in, get your passes, and get shuttle tickets if you haven’t already!).
- You then get back onto East bound I-90 and carry on for an additional 5 miles and take exit 5 (Taft exit).
- Continue through the parking lot and go across the wooden bridge
- Follow Forest Service road 506 for about 2 miles
- Then you’ll turn left into the East Portal parking lot where you’ll begin the Hiawatha trail.
Parking tends to fill up fast here so be sure to arrive at a decent time!
Where to Stay Near the Route of the Hiawatha
Camping:
- Burke Creekside Lisa J’s is where we stayed and she has both spots for RV’s and tents and we enjoyed it so much. The creek is on the other side of the road and the old mining operations are just a bit North and it is all so fun to check out. They still do mining operations up there as well, so it has history both old and new in the making. This is about 7 miles from Wallace, Idaho.
- Achin’ Ass Acres is a quant campsite right outside of Wallace, Idaho and has both tent and RV sites as well.
Hotels:
- Wallace Inn is a hotel in downtown Wallace, Idaho that offers perfect access to historic downtown amenities and access to the historic silver Valley and other outdoor recreation.
- Also downtown, is the Ryan Hotel offering modern amenities and amazing town and mountain views.
Air BnB’s:
When is the Best Time to Ride the Hiawatha?
The Hiawatha Trail is only open May-September and depending on snow pack that could change.
We visited in early July of 2025 and that was perfect! Weather was great, lots of greenery, lots of wildlife, and the tunnels weren’t too cold. (They are really cold, but if we would have went during a less warm month, it would’ve been really really cold lol).
If you want some more solitude, May or September may be a great time to go as most schools are still in session.
Getting Your Tickets
I definitely recommend reserving your tickets online in advance! It saves time so you have more time to enjoy the adventure!
You can purchase tickets here. Pricing can vary year to year. When we visited, It was $37/person for my group and I with the shuttle pass and no rentals.
Since this is a ski resort area, it’s only operational in the warmer months, they update things as they get closer to their May opening.
The Route of the Hiawatha is open daily 8:30am-5pm late May to September.
Renting Equipment
As mentioned above, if you’re traveling from afar or don’t want to transport all of your own gear, you can get rental gear from the check in point at Lookout Pass Ski Lodge.
Bikes: You can rent bikes for your time on the trail for $53-$70 for youth and adults. If you rent a bike from them, your helmet and light are included in your rental. The costs to rent them without renting a bike are below.
Cost on weekdays versus weekends for the 2026 season:
Helmets: Typically range from $10-$15
Rental Lights: They also offer lights for your bike and yourself to navigate through the tunnel sections if you don’t have any of your own. Theirs cost $12 to rent.
Things to Know Before You go
- This is becoming a super popular thing to do, expect some navigating around other riders, watch out for small kiddos whooshing by, and be courteous of others.
- You will need to bring a headlamp and potentially even a bike with a light on it. (I’ll talk more about that in a second).
- Bring a rain jacket (you’ll thank me later). This is the one I brought and it kept me warm and dry through the chilly/wet tunnels.
- This trail is mostly at a downhill grade. There are very few sections where you’ll need to really peddle for more than a moment.
- At the end of the 15 mile gravel trail, there is restrooms, amenities, and a shuttle to take you back to the beginning of the trail! Note: it is a hit or miss, you can be waiting upwards of an hour to get shuttled back. A lot of people will just bike the 15 miles back instead of waiting. We, however, lucked out and got there about 10 minutes before it departed.
- Bring lots of sun protection if you go on a warm sunny day, it can get pretty hot and dry throughout the route. Here are my favorites for sunny days!
- You could absolutely encounter wildlife along the route! While we rode it, we seen some deer, however others previously have seen bear, moose, elk, eagles, and more. So keep an eye out and you might just catch a glimpse of some beautiful Montana wildlife.
- Plan to be on the trail no later than 1pm to ensure you can enjoy your ride and get back to your vehicles at a decent time!
- During the tunnels, they will be cooler in temperature & wet and you will more than likely get muddy and/or wet. This is wear rain gear comes in handy for the tunnels!
Riding the Route of the Hiawatha
Now that we’ve got the logistics out of the way, let’s get into the fun part – riding the Hiawatha!
As I mentioned earlier, the trail itself is 15 miles of slightly downhill gravel terrain. During your time on the trail you’ll ride through 11 tunnels of all different lengths, the longest being the St. Paul Pass towards the beginning of the trail at 1.6 miles long (they also call this the Taft trail). Once you get through this tunnel, be sure to stop at the waterfall for some group photos and to adjust to the temperature difference.
Fun fact: Halfway through this tunnel you can stand in two places at once, so if this is on your bucket list – you’ll be in for a treat! There is a plaque halfway through the tunnel that is making the stateliness and you will be in Idaho and Montana at one point. Be careful if you stop to take in the experience as other riders may come up behind you!
Along with the tunnels, you will ride across 9 trestles ranging in different lengths and heights. These are super fun to stop on and take in the scenery around you. Maybe don’t look down if you’re afraid of heights!
On your journey, you’ll find 47 interpretive signs and these are fun to stop and read and learn about the history of the trail and what it looked like before it became the bike trail we know today. Now, I know 47 sounds like a lot, but all of them are engaging and not always a long read. If you’re a history nerd, like myself, I definitely recommend stopping at them.
It was known as one of the most scenic areas of railroad and we still get to enjoy it today. You will enjoy views of the bitterroot and other mountains, incredible pine trees and rock formations, and wildlife. It will take your breath away (maybe literally as well!).
Enjoy this guide to riding the Route of the Hiawatha? Be sure to save it for future adventures!
Let’s Get Adventuring!
Mariah 🙂
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