Cataldo, ID - Route of the Hiawatha (8/26/24)

We rode another HoF Rail Trail in Idaho, this time it was the much shorter, but very scenic Route of the Hiawatha. We stayed at a campground in Cataldo at the CDA River RV, Riverfront Campground, just east of Coeur d'Alenes, This trail is only 15 miles, but it is packed with features like no other trail. We opted to ride this trail the easy way and to ride down from the top and take the shuttle service back to the top.

This trail has 10 tunnels and 7 high trestles on a smooth gravel surface. Since it has a shuttle service, most people just start at the top and ride down to the bottom along a steady downhill grade. They also provide rental services. This makes the ride very easy for anyone and is very popular with families and groups.

The very start of the trail is the most difficult. It is a 1.7 mile, very dark, and wet/muddy tunnel that requires you to have good lighting to see where you are going. Most people use the shuttle as we didn't see many going up hill (there were some). Since the road around this tunnel is long, you have to ride through it two times since the shuttle drops you off on the other side on the way back. The key is to ride slow and steady to avoid the mud flying on your back.

Here is me returning from riding back through the long tunnel to the car to replace a flashlight that had died half-way through. I had to ride Michelle's bike since it had a built-in light. The second light also ended up dying, so I used my phone light the rest of the way.

Right after exiting the long tunnel, you come to a clearing to see the valleys below.

As you traveled down the mountains, you were provided spectacular views in many of the clearings along the trail.

From above, you can see the many trestles zig-zagging through the forest.

Here is another view of a trestle far down below.

Most of the bridges were far above the valleys below and triggered my height fears a few times. I did not hang over those wires to take any photos.

From the trestles, you also were given beautiful views.

Here is the same view in selfie form.

This side view shows the trestle supports and how tall they were.

Here is another tunnel that shows both the pure rock walls and ones reinforced with concrete.

We took the advice of some and avoided the weekend crowds and were glad it wasn't very crowded.

Although unpaved, the trail was in good condition, wide, and was fairly easy to ride on my road bike.

Not all the tunnels were long, dark and wet. Except for the first one, the rest were mostly dry and much shorter.

Looking back from the end of the trail, you can see the trail sign as if you had started from the bottom. Once we boarded the shuttle for the ride back up, we were dropped off right before the first long tunnel and had to traverse through it to get back to the car. The bikes and us all needed baths when we got back to the campsite.