Originally Posted by
spinnaker
Wow this is unbelievable. I was considering this same area for next year.
I was going to take the Cour d' Alenes just west of Spokane.
The problem is it ends in Mullan.
Get off the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes at Cataldo and ride thru Murray over Thompson Pass.
The CdA is usually right upside I-90 east of Smelterville and then leaves you with few options.
The paved forest road is sweet with light traffic - first rode in back in the late 1980s when it was still unpaved.
Plus - - - there is a great bike/ped bridge over the falls at Thompson Falls.
Hwy 200 is mixed - with iffy shoulders at times and moderate traffic.
You can always ride the lovely Thompson River gravel road up to US 2 - -
but then have US 2 to deal with. Better than it used to be, but not much.
(There always seems to be at least one stretch.)
PS - The wildlife in Montana never seem to show up to work on schedule.