4-day Coeur d'Alene and Hiawatha Trail Tour

Trip Highlights

MEETING LOCATION: Centennial Hotel in Spokane, Washington
MEETING TIME: 8:30 AM on Day 1
AVERAGE BIKING MILES: 15-35 miles per day
TRIP LENGTH: 4 days
RETURN LOCATION: Centennial Hotel in Spokane, Washington
RETURN TIME: 4:00 - 6:00 pm on the Afternoon of Day 4
AGE LIMIT: Minimum age is 12 years

INCLUDED:

Services of our talented adventure consultants and professional guides
All meals/beverages as indicated in the itinerary
Gratuities for meals and accommodations
On-trail drinks and snacks
Van support
Detailed maps and itineraries,
All shuttles
Van support and transportation during the tour as noted
Helmet, and related biking gear.

NOT INCLUDED:

Bicycle (rentals available)
Airfare/transportation beginning and ending points
Alcohol with meals
Items of a personal nature such as laundry
Gratuities for guides
Travel protection plan
Pre and post-trip hotel

Sample Itinerary

Day 0: Arrive in Spokane

Arrive in Spokane on your own, an easy drive on I-90 or served by most major airlines. The preferred hotel is the Centennial Hotel in Spokane.

Accommodations: Not Included - The preferred hotel is the Centennial Hotel in Spokane
Meals: Not included

Day 1: Group Orientation, Riverside State Park to the Idaho Border

Meet your ROW Adventures guide at 8:30 AM at the Centennial Hotel and check out your bike. Our morning ride explores Riverside State Park, a nearly 9200-acre park adjacent to Spokane. This was home to the Spokane Indians who lived along the river and remain part of Spokane’s culture. Fur trading was established by the Northwest Fur Company in 1810 at Nine Mile Falls where our trail begins.

Our guides take you through history as you learn about the building of the park starting in 1933 when Camp 7 Mile was established by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). They quickly set to work building roads and the suspension bridge over the Spokane River at the Bowl and Pitcher rapids (later replaced by a pedestrian-only suspension bridge that we see on our ride). The scenery along the river is stunning, with towering ponderosa pines and black basalt canyon outcroppings which are the result of the Columbia basalt flows of 13 million years ago.

We lunch in downtown Spokane and continue our ride on the Washington Centennial Trail east through the University District through the broad Spokane Valley. At the Idaho/Washington border, we offer a van shuttle to downtown Coeur d’Alene, or you may choose to ride the final 13 miles.

Biking: 37 miles total with an optional additional 13 miles.
Accommodations: Springhill Suites by Marriott (or similar)
Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Day 2: Ride the Route of the Olympian and the Trail of the Hiawatha

We rise to a beautiful Idaho morning and head east, just over the border into Montana to ride on the Route of the Olympian and the Trail of the Hiawatha. Our ride starts on the Route of the Olympian at the small town of Saltese where the trail, which starts further east in St. Regis, becomes non-motorized. This is hard-packed gravel climbs gently following the St. Regis river, to East Portal where the Route of the Hiawatha begins. Here we enter our first of seven tunnels that are highlights of today’s ride. Few trails combine fun, wonder, and spectacular scenery the way the Route of the Hiawatha does. Peer down into thick forests of pine and cedar from trestles spanning deep canyons. Gaze up at steep slopes covered in trees and learn about the story of the Big Burn of 1910, one of the biggest forest fires in modern US history. Our gravel trail ride is an easy downhill slope. At the start of each tunnel, we stop, turn on our lights and give our eyes time to adjust before pedaling on into the darkness.

At the end of our ride, we have a short drive to the historic mining town of Wallace. The downtown is filled with storied brick buildings, a couple of breweries, good eating spots, and friendly locals.

Biking: 24-miles Packed Gravel
ACCOMMODATION: Wallace Inn (or Similar)
MEALS : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Trail of the Coeur d' Alenes, Cataldo Mission, Ride on to Harrison

Those wanting to ride the entire length of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes are shuttled 7 miles east to the town of Mullan to begin their ride. Others may start in Wallace. We ride west along the main stem of the Coeur d’Alene River through the Silver Valley. This mining district opened in the 1880s and more silver has been extracted from the shaft mines here than anywhere else in the world. Learn about the history of the region’s mining and the colorful characters that lived here.

We stop for lunch at the local’s favorite, the Enaville Snake Pit where the daring might want to try Rocky Mountain Oysters. After lunch, we stop at the Cataldo Mission, Idaho’s oldest building. The Jesuit missionaries established this mission and guided the construction between 1850-53 with labor provided by the local Indigenous people.

Our ride continues as the trail turns south to follow the Chain Lakes of the Coeur d’Alene River, through marshes and farmland. We usually see waterfowl, osprey, and sometimes deer and moose.

Our destination is the quiet hamlet of Harrison, Idaho set on the shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene.

Biking: 47-mile bike ride with optional 7 miles.
Accommodations: Osprey Inn (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Heyburn State Park, Trail of the Coeur d'Alene's, Return to Spokane

From Harrison, the trail follows the shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene, then crosses over the lake on a low and scenic bridge that leads to Heyburn State Park. We stop for an optional 2.3-mile hike on the Indian Cliffs Trail for panoramic views of Lake Chacolet and Lake Coeur d’Alene. Our ride continues as we climb the gentle slope through a gorgeous forest of Ponderosa Pines on the edge of the Palouse, one of the world’s most productive farming areas. After a picnic lunch on our route, we arrive at the western trailhead in Plummer, Idaho, and transfer to Spokane.

Biking: 16 miles.
Accommodations: Not Included - Return to the Centennial Hotel in Spokane Washington
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Travel Arrangements

Preferred Hotel in Spokane Wa, for start and end of tour: The Centennial

Packing List

Here is a recommended list of things to pack. Add and subtract to meet your needs. Please keep your luggage to one medium sized soft-sided piece such as a duffel bag which packs into our trailer more easily. Next best is a soft-sided roller-bag. Otherwise, a regular roller bag will work. You will also want to bring one carry-on day pack to leave in our support van during the day, where you will access at lunch and other points when we meet up with the van. We will provide you with a ROW Adventures luggage tag on the first day of the tour, to put on your bag so we can more easily identify it at our accommodations.

Required Bike Specific Clothing

Remember that we ride 18-40 miles each day, which may be further than you are used to. This is why we recommend padded bike shorts and a few other things that may be new to you. As well, we recommend checking the weather prior to your trip departure and adjusting the below quantities accordingly based on current forecasts.

3-4 pairs of padded bike shorts or padded liners
1 pair of full-length bike pants or athletic pants
3-4 short-sleeve performance fabric shirts or bike jerseys, bright colors are great for visibility
2-3 long sleeve performance fabric shirts
1 light fleece or performance jacket for layering
4-6 pairs of performance fabric socks
1 waterproof rain jacket
1 pair of waterproof rain pants

Required Accessories

1 pair of bike gloves, short-fingered and padded preferred
Helmet (helmets are included with bike rental, but many people prefer their personal helmet)
1 helmet liner or thin hat
1 water bottle or hydration pack (We provide one insulated bike water bottle and recommend you bring a second one as well)

Optional Accessories

Personal handlebar or seat bag (Will be provided if you don’t have one)
Hydration pack
Sun brim or visor for your helmet.
Chamois cream or butter
Full fingered bike gloves or glove liners *for cool forecasts
Toe covers for your biking shoes *for cool forecasts
Helmet or handlebar mirror
Your personal bike shoes (if clip in, be sure to bring your own pedals)
Personal bike seat
Padded seat cover
Cycling cap
Waterproof case for your camera or phone

Casual Attire

2-3 long bottoms (pants, skirt, etc)
1-2 short bottoms (shorts, skirt, etc)
2-4 short sleeve shirts
1-2 long sleeve shirts
Undergarments
Walking or casual shoes
1-2 lightweight layering pieces such as a sweater, jacket, fleece
Bathing suit or shorts

Personal Items

Any necessary prescription medications
Allergy or other needed medications
Personal hygiene items
Sunscreen & SPF lip balm
Back up contact lenses or glasses
Polarized sunglasses

Layering

Layering is a critical component to being prepared for outdoor activities and best prepares you for changing temperatures. First, wear a good wicking layer as your “against the skin layer”. This will help with moisture management and the dryer you are, the more comfortable you will be. Wool or synthetics are the best. They both work – the biggest pro on the wool side is odor control. Wool is naturally anti-bacterial and can be worn for multiple days in a row. It also provides excellent temperature regulation. Synthetics, on the other hand, dry a little faster and are often lighter weight. You can’t really go wrong as long as you aren’t wearing cotton (unless it’s an incredibly hot day!)

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