It’s been called one of the most scenic stretches of railroad in the country and now, the historic converted Milwaukee Road rail bed in the rugged Bitterroot Mountains on the Idaho/Montana border is one of the most spectacular biking and hiking trails in the world. The Route of the Hiawatha name came from one of the flagship old Milwaukee Road trains known as the Olympian Hiawatha.
 The Route of the Hiawatha is a wide, well maintained trail with a gentle 2 percent grade. Although not paved, the 15-mile trail is firm packed dirt, with small cobble for the last half of the trail. It winds its way through 10 tunnels and over seven trestles and visitors can witness rushing mountain streams, deer, elk, moose and an endless vista of the towering Bitterroots.
The route, located about 12 miles east of the historic town of Wallace, Idaho, is best known for the long, dark St. Paul or “Taft Tunnel” that burrows for 1.7 miles under the state line. The best part is, it’s all downhill at a mild 2 percent grade and provides a shuttle service back to the top. When finished, the Route of the Hiawatha trail will extend approximately 46 miles and allow bicyclists and hikers to ride or walk the Route between St. Regis, Mont. and Pearson, Idaho.
The incredible history of the construction of this line was followed by the unprecedented electrification of several long stretches of the main line, forming the longest electrified mainline railroad in the world.
The conversion of this historic rail line to the Route of the Hiawatha has witnessed the cooperation between hundreds of volunteers and organizations who have donated funding, labor materials and equipment, the Taft Tunnel Preservation Society and the U.S. Forest Service. There is a colorful history of the railroad, forest fires, mining and the early Forest Service and there are signs along the trail that share that history.
The Route of the Hiawatha is operated by the same company that runs the Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area, on the Idaho/Montana border — right off I-90.
Opening of the trail for the season is set for late May. Helmets and lights are required, as are trail tickets, and both equipment rentals (including bikes) and tickets are available at the Lookout Pass Ski area lodge. For more information please visit the website:
www.ridethehiawatha.com or call (208) 744-1301.
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