Scenic Hiawatha Trail Mountain Bike and Hike

Journey through the historic Hiawatha Trail, where spectacular views and thrilling tunnels await on this gentle downhill biking and hiking path.

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Adults $20-$40, Children $13-$28; includes trail and shuttle pass. Extra fee for special bikes.
More than 500 Miles from you
National Star: Exceptional experiences within the country that are must-dos for adventurers
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Description

Embark on the Hiawatha Trail for an unforgettable biking or hiking adventure, featuring breathtaking tunnels and trestles amidst the Bitterroot Mountains. Journey through the historic Hiawatha Trail, where spectacular views and thrilling tunnels await on this gentle downhill biking and hiking path. The Route of the Hiawatha, known as the "Crown Jewel" of rail-to-trail adventures, is a family-friendly 15-mile trail that offers an easy, mostly downhill ride through the Bitterroot Mountains. Starting with the 1.66-mile long St. Paul Pass Tunnel, riders enjoy a scenic journey featuring 10 tunnels and 7 high trestles. Available from May 24 through Sept. 15, 2024, this trail is suitable for all ages and skill levels, with shuttle buses available to bring you back to the starting point. Trail passes and rentals are obtainable at Lookout Pass Ski Area.

Perfect for

For solo

For two

For groups

For families with kids

Outdoorsy

Exciting

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Itinerary

Arrive at Lookout Pass Ski Area for passes and rentals.
Start at the East Portal Trailhead, riding through the St. Paul Pass Tunnel.
Enjoy the downhill trail with minimal pedaling required.
Use the shuttle service from Pearson back to the start or ride back if on an e-bike.
Optional: Explore additional trails extending into Montana for a longer adventure.

Location

Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area: 1-90 I-90, Mullan, ID 83846

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Packing List

Comfortable riding/hiking shoes
Warm clothing for the cooler tunnel environment
Headlight for biking through tunnels
Water and snacks
Camera for capturing scenic views

4.5 ● Google reviews

Other than our rental bikes sucking, it was great. Unfortunately, on this trip we couldn't bring our own bikes do to lack of space, so we rented theirs. Check-in was easy. Getting the bikes checked out was easy, but the ride on the bikes sucked. Super uncomfortable and a little something wrong with each bike. The youngest riders chain kept coming off. The oldest riders' gears locked often, and I only had 2 gears. That aside, the whole thing ran smooth. Absolutely stunning views, great customer service, easy to locate, and amazing weather. So glad we did it. **BRING YOUR OWN BIKE IF YOU CAN**

A ride of a lifetime. So much fun. Muddy so dress accordingly. Beautiful trail. The longest tunnel (1.6miles) is the coldest. It stays 45degrees all year round. Bring something warm. They wave water a long the way to fill up your water bottles.

So fun and beautiful! Easy trip if you take the route downhill. Best to go early in the morning (we went at 9am) before the sun starts really beating down First tunnel is a bit muddy if you ride at a decent speed!! So cool though

I had an amazing day biking the trail. The hardest part was parking my 18 wheeled transporter truck at I-90 Montana, exit 5, and pushing my bike two miles uphill. But it was all downhill from there. Other than the hike up the mountain parking at exit 5 is great for semis and big rigs. On my first ride down, I stopped and read every historical sign and photographed every bridge and tunnel. The first trail is long, wet, and cold. Expect to get muddy unless you ride really slow. Other than that, it was quite the experience. On my second ride down, I rode for speed. You can get going pretty good going down the gental grade. Waiting for the bus back up isn't so great, but the ride itself, apart from being hot and dusty, was fun. If I did it again and rented a bike, I'd get an ebike so I could ride back up the trail.

This was AWESOME! I can’t say enough good things about this experience. As general information, we had all ages in our group but my 7 year old daughter and 68 year old mother both rode the whole trail with zero issues. We also had a 4 year old in a bike trailer. Any age could do this ride and have a blast. The whole ride (including shuttle back to first tunnel again) took us around 4.5 - 5 hours. My daughter got a flat tire along the trail and they have staff riding up and down to help with repairs if needed which was so helpful. We brought a picnic lunch and ate by a little creek. Bring a sweatshirt! The big tunnel is COLD and you ride through it twice. One of the most memorable things we’ve ever done as a family and we will be back!

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