Pacific Northwest - Trail of the Couer d Alenes-PERFECT!

Just returned from two days of out and back riding on the Trail of the Couer d Alenes. Kellogg to Mullan and back (42 miles) one day and Kellogg to Bull Run trailhead the next (42 miles). The section between Pinehurst and Cataldo has to be the most perfect few miles I've ever had on a bike. We had a long hard winter here so the river is high, the forest growth abundant, the trail is smooth and flat, the scenery is outstanding, trestles over the river, away from the hiway so it's quiet, no cars, and we saw maybe six other people on the trail. Rode in to Pinehurst and a large softy at the Lone Pine drive-in. Perfect! Interstate 90 exit to Pinehurst or Cataldo to either trailhead. You won't be disappointed.
Greg: :thumb:

That whole area has some great riding and I love just hanging out there. Your next planned trip you should take Mullan trail head up to Lookout Pass and head down to the Hiawatha trail. (You'll have to pay a small fee to ride the trail) As a side trip at Lookout go accross the highway and take trail #7 which is an intermediate to expert level trail. It will run into a dirt road that goes back into Mullan. The Plummer trail head going through Heyburn State park is another beautiful ride. Currently Im not riding because I'm deployed to the desert so put in a few miles for me ;-)

I just came back last week and the riding there was great. I did the 56 mile Ironman course around Hayden Lake and then down Coeur d'Alene Lake (all roads). Great route - friendly people.

I have not ridden the whole Trail of the CDAs trail, but the part I rode was really fine. I look forward to going back and riding more of the trail (and others in the area) someday. :) -GT2005

Just returned from there myself. Trail was closed between Bull Run and Harrison due to damage/reconstruction from heavy runoff. We camped at Heyburn and rode to Plummer and back, then to Harrison and back. Also camped behind The Snake Pit by the Enaville Trailhead and rode from there out to Bull Run and back. Camped at a little RV park in Wallace as well and did the Hiawatha which was spectacular. A note for anyone doing the Hiawatha - a bright headlight is mandatory due to pitch black tunnels, especially the one at the Idaho/Montana border that is 1.7 miles long. Don't try it with a wimpy light unless you want a nice black eye like I've got. If you don't have your own, lights are available at the ski lodge where you buy the ($9) tickets.

Is this a mountain bike trail or is it paved?

Is this a mountain bike trail or is it paved?

From Plummer to Mullan it's paved and 72ish miles long. The only hill on the paved section is at the Plummer trail head and it goes down through Heyburn state park but it's a 1 or 2% grade. From Mullan to Lookout pass and on to the Hiawatha trail it's crushed gravel. That section I would recommend a Mt bike. The climb to Lookout is 10 miles long but here again being an old RR bed it's not a steep climb.

Having grown up in Coeur d' Alene, I always cringe when I see the misspelling:)
OTOH, it's pretty easy to tell if someone lived there, since 1/2 the natives seem to misspell it too.
I lived in a higher part of town, so it was always uphill going home with my gas pipe. GEARS would have been SO nice!
I don't miss the snow though!

My brother in law and I rode the trail in July 09 and we really enjoyed it. The sights along the trail were delightful and the trail seemed to be well maintained. I really liked the old rail bridge going over Coeur d 'alene Lake. It was a wonderful experience. Also got to visit historic Wallace. We both are in our 60's and not experienced cyclist, so I would say the ride was not diffcult but somewhat challenging for two old guys not in the best of shape. However we did complete the 72 miles.

Also camped behind The Snake Pit by the Enaville Trailhead and rode from there out to Bull Run and back.

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There is camping behind the Snake Pit??? Public or private?

The big issue we found on the TCDA is close-in camping. All the Forest Service stuff was closed - we were there in mid to late Sept. Used an RV park adjacent to the Shont TH - Big Creek (?) and would use them again.

Also camped behind The Snake Pit by the Enaville Trailhead and rode from there out to Bull Run and back.

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There is camping behind the Snake Pit? Public or Private? Details?

Finding close-in camping is a problem there.

A note for anyone doing the Hiawatha - a bright headlight is mandatory due to pitch black tunnels, especially the one at the Idaho/Montana border that is 1.7 miles long. Don't try it with a wimpy light unless you want a nice black eye like I've got. If you don't have your own, lights are available at the ski lodge where you buy the ($9) tickets.

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I can recommend the Coast LED Lenser from Lowes. Adjustable beam, very bright. Really illuminated the tunnel. No issues getting thru. It was hose-clamped to the mount from my Planet Bike LED light (wimpy, vertigo). The backup was an LED headlight from WalMart. Next season it will be the Princeton light.

Saw the lights at the rental shop. Incandescent lamps. So 20th Century. Better stuff out there. One lady had a small maglite lashed to the front fork.

Fenders – mud – tunnel. My mountain bikes have dismountable plastic fenders and they kept me almost dry in the tunnel. Mud splashes down low. Nothing up the front or back. One guy was trying to wash out his jersey in the brook after. Nice stripe on that guy. What sucks is being a kid in a trailer. You are in the slipstream of mud and water.