Pacific Northwest - Coeur D' Alene Trail

I finally got to ride the trail last weekend. It was Awesome! I left Wallace early in the morning and rode to Heyburn State Park. I had a tent campsite reserved in the Chatcolet campground. I stayed over night and rode back the next day.
I ended up doing 65 miles over and 61 back. But you would never know it, because the trail takes your mind away from what you're doing. Thanks to all who gave me the good advice on this trip, as it really helped out. I highly recommend riding this trail!!
Only downsides....no moose :( and sore knees:lol:

any pics!? sounds awesome

I have only been threw the area once but it was amazing, and that was in a car. To get to ride the rail must of been a heck of weekend.

found this on the web
http://friendsofcdatrails.org/our_map.html

No moose. Too bad.

http://friendsofcdatrails.org/leggett_moose_print.jpg

any pics!? sounds awesome
I will drop some pics as soon as I learn how.

I have only been threw the area once but it was amazing, and that was in a car. To get to ride the rail must of been a heck of weekend.

found this on the web
http://friendsofcdatrails.org/our_map.html

Here are the maps I used. I printed them out, and put them in the top of my handlebar bag. They worked great. Just click Maps and Directions.
http://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/trailofthecoeurdalenes.aspx

any pics!? sounds awesome

Ok, lets give this a shot.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6081086901_a014c16620_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/58954513@N04/6081086901/)
tca30 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/58954513@N04/6081086901/) by picklefork11 (http://www.flickr.com/people/58954513@N04/), on Flickr
This is Lake Chatcolet, it's all part of Lake Coeur D' Alene now

My campsite at Chatcolet Campground in Heyburn State Park.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6204/6078511310_c26a4872bc_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/58954513@N04/6078511310/)
tca23 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/58954513@N04/6078511310/) by picklefork11 (http://www.flickr.com/people/58954513@N04/), on Flickr

This is the trail coming into Harrison.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6183/6077967061_b9a5c59319_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/58954513@N04/6077967061/)
tca20 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/58954513@N04/6077967061/) by picklefork11 (http://www.flickr.com/people/58954513@N04/), on Flickr

Cool pics. I've ridden the lower portion from Plummer. Been looking for short touring camping ideas as my first foray into that world of cycling. I may just have to plan this for next year.

Cool pics. I've ridden the lower portion from Plummer. Been looking for short touring camping ideas as my first foray into that world of cycling. I may just have to plan this for next year.
It was a really easy ride. I wanted to ride into Plummer, but didn't have the time. Hope you get the chance to ride the trail, it's awesome.

I keep telling myself I need to just pick a Saturday and ride it. Maybe even take two days and hit the roads between Plummer and Pullman.

I keep telling myself I need to just pick a Saturday and ride it. Maybe even take two days and hit the roads between Plummer and Pullman.

I'm tentatively planning on some vacation time the week of Oct 17th (have plans on the 15th and 16th) - I could be game to ride a good portion of the trail then.

I'm tentatively planning on some vacation time the week of Oct 17th (have plans on the 15th and 16th) - I'd could be game to ride a good portion of the trail then.

That might be do-able.

For people that have ridden this before, can you tell me if this trail can be started in Washington or is there a trail that connects to it from Wash. Any good resources for a person that has not ridden the trail before. What is the total length of the trail. We were in Idaho over the weekend and just happened to notice the trail. Looks very nice.

For people that have ridden this before, can you tell me if this trail can be started in Washington or is there a trail that connects to it from Wash

We did it on our tandem a few years ago, it's a great trail, that if you are able to ride, you should. I know of no connection from Washington State with a trail. We began our ride in Plummer and followed it to its end, then returned to Plummer.

gageplate: It's reported to be 72 miles, I think that is about it. Here is a link http://friendsofcdatrails.org/
Googling it will provide many others.

That might be do-able.
You guys won't regret it. Maybe you will see moose on your ride by then. The Park Ranger told me that after Enaville, there are alot of moose sightings.
Next year I'm planning on getting to Plummer the first day.

For people that have ridden this before, can you tell me if this trail can be started in Washington or is there a trail that connects to it from Wash. Any good resources for a person that has not ridden the trail before. What is the total length of the trail. We were in Idaho over the weekend and just happened to notice the trail. Looks very nice.
You can probably ride the highway from Coeur D' Alene down to Plummer, You could ride the trail from Spokane to Coeur D' Alene then down.

Thanks all. Bossco When you say ride the trail from spokane to Coeur D' Alene Can you tell me what trail you are talking about. I assume its not the Coeur D' alene trail. Thanks

I]
for people that have ridden this before, can you tell me if this trail can be started in washington or is there a trail that connects to it from wash.[/i]

@@@ depends on how much adventure you want. It connects to the john wayne pioneer trail at plummer. The jwpt runs across wa to terminate at rattlesnake lake out of north bend, wa. Most of the eastern portion in is heavy ballast and not really rideable.

<http://www.traillink.com/trail/john-wayne-pioneer-trail.aspx>


any good resources for a person that has not ridden the trail before. What is the total length of the trail.

@@ about 73 miles and a great ride. The most scenic portions are the chain lakes and the river sections.

<http://friendsofcdatrails.org/cda_trail/index.html>

@@ you will also want to do the route of the hiawatha.

<http://www.traillink.com/trail/route-of-the-hiawatha-.aspx>

you can spend a week riding a lot of great trails in this area. Check them out on traillink.

Have fun.


We were in idaho over the weekend and just happened to notice the trail. Looks very nice.

As others have said - a little over 70 miles from Plummer to the other end by Wallace. Unless you're riding a hybrid, cross or mountain bike the John Wayne trail is probably not the greatest. I'm not sure what the shoulders are like on hwy 95 south out of Coeur d'Alene - in the past they were pretty narrow and there is a lot of traffic.

If you wanted to start from Spokane you could ride south on hwy 27 (Pines Rd and keep going south) to Tekoa and then head east to Hwy 95 and then left (north) back up to Plummer.

As others have said - a little over 70 miles from Plummer to the other end by Wallace. Unless you're riding a hybrid, cross or mountain bike the John Wayne trail is probably not the greatest. I'm not sure what the shoulders are like on hwy 95 south out of Coeur d'Alene - in the past they were pretty narrow and there is a lot of traffic.

If you wanted to start from Spokane you could ride south on hwy 27 (Pines Rd and keep going south) to Tekoa and then head east to Hwy 95 and then left (north) back up to Plummer.

That's the route I would take. Hwy 95 can be pretty busy and depending on weekends, holidays, football games, etc. the drivers can be pretty reckless. For the most part I would think the shoulders would be sufficient, they've been working on widening the highway from two lanes to four and dividing it, but it's the traffic (and the speeds they'll be traveling) that I would worry most about.

I don't know much about Hwy 27 but I think it would be safe to say it is less traveled, but probably has narrower shoulders. Pick your poison?

I don't know much about Hwy 27 but I think it would be safe to say it is less traveled, but probably has narrower shoulders. Pick your poison?

Definitely pick your poison - 27 has little if no traffic but not nearly the traffic. In fact, there were times when I would see 5-10 cars in the stretch going south from Fairfield to Tekoa. It's heavier by Spokane and Pullman - but not that bad in between.

Thanks all. Bossco When you say ride the trail from spokane to Coeur D' Alene Can you tell me what trail you are talking about. I assume its not the Coeur D' alene trail. Thanks
I haven't ridden either, but there's the North Idaho Centennial Trail, which goes from the WA/ ID border to Coeur D' Alene:
http://www.northidahocentennialtrail.org/
And the Spokane River Trail:
http://www.spokanecentennialtrail.org/

I'm putting these on my list for next year, along with riding the Trails of the Coeur D' Alenes again..

[Unless you're riding a hybrid, cross or mountain bike the John Wayne trail is probably not the greatest.

@@@

Best forget the eastern portion of the John Wayne. It is done in RR ballast and that is a miserable ride - unless you like 2-4" rock. You can check out the pix on TrailLink. Every one of the eastern portion that shows peoples shows people walking.

<http://www.traillink.com/trail/columbia-plateau-trail-state-park.aspx>

<http://www.traillink.com/trail/john-wayne-pioneer-trail.aspx>

One adventurer did all of the Columbia Plateau Trail - but on a bike with 4" tires - and he was doing 8 mph. The ends are OK. The middle 100 miles is not. I would think that a fully suspended trike with balloon tires might be the ride on this trail.

A practicable adventure is the loop - Coeur d'Alene, Route of the Hiawatha, Old Milwaukee Road and some road miles from St. Maries to Heyburn SP to rejoin the TCDA.

There are many days of good riding in the Spokane/Coeur d'Alene/Silver Valley area, including the TCDA - the best Destination Trail in the West. Plus, the USFS is working on extending the Route of the Hiawatha 40 miles into Montana.

This weekend, the MS Society is hosting their 2-day, 150 mile ride on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes.

http://bikewai.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/WAIBikeEvents?pg=entry&fr_id=16655

We just did the Trail end to end and back again over the the last two days on our Tandem......great ride...great trail....fabulous surface....super clean restrooms.... great views.
We've had the good fortune to have ridden two other Hall of Fame Rail Trails ( the Katy and the Allegheny Passage) and I must say this one is pretty special. Before leaving this wonderful area we'll do the Hiawatha tomorrow after I put so cyclocross tires on our C'dale.
We finally did manage to see two Moose today near the Bull Run trailhead...we had pretty much given up hope of seeing any after seeing none while riding numerous miles here in Idaho plus up into BC and over to eastern Washington over the last 10 days ...so yeah for the Moose today!

Bill J

230068230069230070Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes near Harrison.