Route of the Hiawatha Bike Trail! Can't believe this exists! 

I am from Texas and have done ths ride twice and love it. It is an easy ride and beautiful. Would recommend it to anyone.

The Route of the Hiawatha Trail was constructed in the 1890s as part of the Pacific Extension of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific Railroad, more commonly referred to as the Milwaukee Road. In 1905 after a forrest fire in this section of the Bitterroot Mountains, this section of the Milwaukee Road mainline from Harlowton Montana and down into what is now Avery Idaho. This route stayed active on the Milwaukee Road from 1890 up until the year 1980, when the Milwaukee Road voted to discontinue service to the Pacific Northwest United States. The rails were ripped out in a very short time following the vote. The Milwaukee Road itself was bought out in 1986 by the SOO Line Railroad Company. Today the entire Milwaukee Road Mainline between Seattle and all the way to North Dakota is ripped up. This truly was one of the most beautiful stretches of railroad in the United States.

I’m here in Boise in Oct. 2023, and have been watching all the videos that I can find of the Hiawatha Trail. This ride has been on my list to do since 2019, when at 56 I started cycling again after a 3-decade hiatus. I’m looking at doing this ride next June, and plan on starting at the Pearson trailhead and riding to the top and back like you did. Thank you for taking us along on your ride. 😄🚴‍♂

The original Hiawatha Train route started in Chicago, and went through Milwaukee, Wisconsin to St. Paul, Minnesota, and then west from there. The Chicago to Milwaukee section of the Hiawatha train route still runs today, and goes through my town.

Our iconic rum distillery, Bundaberg Rum, caught fire in the 1930's. The rum ran into the Burnett River behind the distillery. Photos show drunk fish floating on the surface. Now a local brewery has named their lager after it...Drunk Fish Lager.

The rails to trails program is a great thing.

What a fun looking trail! It's great to see these old railroad trestles being kept up and used for something enjoyable. I hope to see the trail from Washington to Montana materialize.

If you dug this you need to come out to visit the Myra Canyon Trail in Kelowna, BC. We biked it this past fall and it will knock your socks off. Part of the Great Trail of Canada.

This is one of the best, rides that Idaho has to offer. It’s also in my backyard. Thank you for doing this review. I love your guys’ unbiased content.

Those views from the trestles look INCREDIBLE.

I've got a 1970s 10 speed Hiawatha brand 27 inch road bike, someday I want to give it a good over hall and ride it here, would be amazing

One of the coolest rides you've documented so far. Loved it!

“Salmoning it...” love it!!!

Great video guys! I love when you combine bikes a railroads, whether it’s rail trails or Amtrak rides to biking destinations. Keep up the good work!

What is so sad is that this used to be a wonderful passenger train route. It’s too bad that after the Milwaukee Road went bankrupt and abandon the line, Amtrak didn’t buy it and use it transcontinental trains for this very route. It would’ve saved Amtrak a lot of headaches having to deal with BNSF railroad.

This is an awesome video. Thank you for sharing your experience of the route of the Hiawatha. 😀

I've been meaning to get myself over there for some time now. Looks like so much fun. I've ridden the entire length of the Yellowstone Branch Line Trail from West Yellowstone to Victor Idaho (in different sections) which is fun but super remote and very rugged in sections. The Hiawatha looks a lot more relaxed.

Howdy Russ, almost a year after watching your video we had a chance to ride this outstanding trail. It was our traditional schools out camping trip with our grandsons. Then we continued on to the National Bison Range... and finally a visit to Adventure Cycling where I had a chance to shake hands with Laura and tell her I was one of your "fan boys". Oh, and that hug she gave you was from me. Thanks for all the great content on your channel.

I’ve done this with children thrice, once with a trailer and trail-a-bike and when they got bigger, both kids on trail-a-bikes. Then once more with middle school kids on their own bikes. We went early to ensure enough time for resting and breaks. Allow extra time for kids, but very doable. Definitely a bucket list ride. There is also primitive camping with only a pit toilet along the river near the trailhead, but I imagine it fills up quickly on weekends.

Another excellent travelog! Great job showing us the wonders of cycling. Thanks.

That’s amazing. Such incredible views from the bridge.

I need to step my game up and actually do rides like this. Love your channel living the dream through you. Keep up the good work.

in the middle of the long upper Taft tunnel is a cool info sign marking the ID/MT border. On my first trip there (with ACA in 2010) we were told to slow down entering the Taft tunnel so our eyes could get used to the dark, since there is a curve in it. One guy barreled through and ended up in the water ditch and needed ER care. I love how cool the tunnels are on a hot day.

Cool video. I've done many miles on the Iron Horse trail in Washington... But now I need to ride this trail. Thanks Russ.

Awesome video! I enjoyed learning about a new to me rail trail.

What a great ride. I always enjoy your guys posts. Looking forward to the watercolor pics from this trip and Laura's Instagram as well. Joe

You can combine the Hiawatha with the trail of the Coeur d'Alaine for the Bitterroot 300K loop.

Great looking trail. I loved your video, great job. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for visiting the Route of the Hiawatha trail. For any that are reading the comments our web page is www.RideTheHiawatha.com The trail is open 7 days a weeks 8:30 am to 5 pm (PST) as 95% of the trail is in Idaho. I've posted this video on our video page. Feel free to check out all our videos if you want to gain some real insight into what the trail has to offer: www.ridethehiawatha.com/videos we are also offering a number of fun events for the end of Aug. through the last day the trail is open for this year - Sept. 23, 2018. You'll find this information here if interested: www.ridethehiawatha.com/2018-special-events Thanks again Paths Less Pedaled for riding the trail and for sharing it with your followers. Wish I would have known you were here to show you a few more interesting tidbits about the trail. Cheers!

Gorgeous! In Canada, we have the Trans-Canada Trail which is comprised of a ton of rail trail! This video had me itching for my next trip! Cheers!

We love riding rail trails and making videos along the way. Great video. It's on our bike it list to get out that way one day. We have ridden mostly around NC/VA/WV but are headed to NY/NJ/Conn next month. Thanks for the videos!

This trail looks awesome. Looks like I might have our adventure for next summer!

Cool ride makes me wanna go there

Awesome trail! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for sharing this...

That was great! I would love to do this ride with my wife and son some day. Thanks for sharing! :-)

Magical! Good job on the video too. Thanks

Just letting you know there are railroad enthusiasts who fortunately did take movies of passenger trains going down this path before passenger service stop, and railroad service was discontinued. Actually it’s for a good portion of this route, it was electrified and driven by Little Joe electric locomotives.

Never even heard of rails to trails. So cool, thanks for sharing!

Love the crusin music! Great vid PLP👌

I’d LOVE to ride that trail! Looks great! 😃

Nicely done! Cool video

Awesome video !!! Love me some rails-to-trails

Beautiful place!!

Nice, we will definately take the up and back route as well.

Thanks for this! I'm moving to northern Idaho this month and need to find cool places to ride. This one is definitely on the list!

Well, got a new bucket list ride

Bucket list for sure!

Fantastic. Thank you!

I'm picking up my new Polyvalent on Friday; now I've another bucket list ride to take it on!

Loved doing this trail we did it several years ago and we did the shuttle thing

Holy hell this ride is righteous! Thank you for the info. I am going to ride this trail :D :D

I would really like to see the trail make it all the way back to the eastern terminus of the original line in Wisconsin where I live. I know that it is unlikely but fun to fantasize about.

Hello from Brazil! Top pedal.

Fantastic Pedal!! Regards from Brasil!!

Reminds me a lot of the Palouse to Cascades Trail (formerly John Wayne Pioneer Trail). I can't wait for my next chance to check it out again.

Hey Paths Less Pedaled. Love the name, really inspires adventure. And also dig the videos, thanks for taking the time and putting together the edits on your adventures. You've mentioned a few times in your vids that a trail network could be connected between Washington and into Missoula. Would you mind sharing the details on how we can all help get our acts together to accomplish this? Is there a trail maintenance or advocacy group we can join? I've not watched all your vids, but maybe you have already hosted a video on how we can help? If not, then it might be a quick, cool project for you. Thanks again! 🙌

Great vids Russ. I love that vast region of the US and have to experience that trail, thanks for sharing your adventure. Terrific endless places to ride, just amazing. Then there's Kansas and W. Texas, areas the size of countries mostly devoid of beautiful trails, ha. N & S Carolina have great riding too. ... We're in Asia now, it's another planet here for riding, also great fun.

You two are an awesome couple.

Wow amazing

Great video

Enjoyed your video. In Canada there is the Trans Canada Trail, otherwise now called the The Great Trail. There are several hundred km's of old rail trail included, including The Kettle Valley Bike Trail in British Columbia. Of course there are tunnels and trestles Check it out! :)

The tunnel at Hyak, Washington at Snoqualmie Pass is two miles long.

Awesome! 😃

Damn that looks fun

Good placement with the bear spray.

I found this ride about 6 years ago. I still dream about it every day.

Beautiful. My next vacation,!,

Amazing

That looks like a great ride in a beautiful pat of the country. It would indeed be awesome if the route were extended from Seattle to Missoula, however, that would probably be coupled with high investment by ...???. The comment on the trail in B.C. Also sounds like something to look into.

What a fantastic facility, you should do the Seattle trip at some point

great video! Did you begin at the east end?

Hey, your videos are super awesome and fun to watch. Have you considered getting one of those gimbals for smoother footage? Although I do enjoy the vloggish style that you have. Anyways awesome vid keep em rolling!

High bridges and long dark tunnels on a rails to trails system. I hope you get to see a moose. Excellent video.

We went here the wrong time of year... it started pouring rain on the way back and we got soaked. It looked like we jumped in a pool with all of our clothes on. The last tunnel we had to go through was the mile-long one. We were frozen. When we got out our hands were turning blue... and that's not an overreaction... It took us forever to get warm! but other than that it was a good trip! It was beautiful. you just need to go at the right time.

Kids and I are headed to Idaho in a week to ride the Couer d’Alene trail!!

Rad video

Hi! I'm from Anchorage. Planning to bike Seattle to Atlanta in May. Northern Tier to Michigan then south. If I road to Lookout Pass lodge, then Northern Pacific Trail (which seems to be a road)to East Portal, then on to the Hiawatha, would that be the best way to get on to the trail? Maybe store my panniers at the lodge?

Great video, Thanks !!! Just wondering . We ride a road tandem with 32 front Schwalbe tire, 37/40 rear. Its worked out fine on the GAP/C&O, as well as on the Katy trail. Do you think the trail surface here could be handled ok with our setup?

Seems to have a lot more traffic than I’d hoped, but the views and variety look like they more than make up for it.

Hi all. Hope your keep safe and making the best of all that going on. Question. If you have explored the west and the east what did you enjoy more. I know they are quite different but does one just put you in aww over the other? Example blue ridge “east” vs glacier National Park “west” Thank you for your time and help Be well

They need to do this with every train track that's unused. As matter of fact they need to make one across the entire country. I'm down here in Arizona and they have the Arizona Trail 800 miles long. Some nice bike riding in some parts and really rough and others. One hell of an adventure starting from the Mexican border all the way to Utah. Do some research on it sometime and come down and bike part of it

Was the parking free? How long could you park for?

I am so doing this!

I may do Northern tier. Can you ride this one direction and not have the shuttle? I saw you mention Seattle to Missoula. That's what I want to do. Just include this as a section.

i want a Poly so bad. that bike is amazing.

Is this part of the rails to trails?

Check out sportrx.com and their "day and night" transition Rx lenses! I have a set of Poc Do Low's with them, they go clear all the way to nearly black!

I always carry a Cricket Eat'n tool when touring or bikepacking.

That's my old backyard you should come ride the areas around Mount Spokane just west of the Idaho border you're welcome to stay at my off-grid cabin it's only six miles from the ski resort chairs and endless riding in the backcountry check it out

Can you explain how to get to the trailhead on the "rougher route"? Thanks

Now you have to wander a little east to SD and try the Mickelson Trail in the Black Hills. It's 109 miles, between Deadwood and Edgemont. gfp.sd.gov/parks/detail/george-s--mickelson-trail/ I'd even go with you....

Are there campgrounds or places to out up a tent on the trail?

That looks like a lot of fun. What was your round trip mileage?

My girlfriend and I will be doing it sometime in the week after Labor Day. What was the best road to take to the Pearson trailhead? We're coming from Dillon, South of Butte. Any other tips you didn't mention in the video? Thanks!

So the shuttle is optional? Can you drive your own vehicle to the trailhead?

Saw the rods over your shoulder - Did you get any Fly Fishing in on your trip?

So what road were you driving on in the beginning of the video?

Can a person ride a incumbent trike there?

There was a car following you at the end? On the trail? How does that work?