| The Hiawatha Trail on the Border between Montana | | | | the trail at about 10 mile per hour. It is 14 miles so it will |
| and Idaho is a jewel of a rails to trails ride. This is part | | | | take about one and a half hours of riding. This is very |
| of the old Milwaukee Road railroad. The trail starts 5 | | | | easy for even the most sedentary because you can |
| miles from the Montana Idaho border on the Montana | | | | easily break it into twenty minute rides with plenty of |
| side. You leave Interstate 90 at the Taft Exit #5 on | | | | rest stops. With all the scenic overlooks and signs |
| the Montana side. Then follow the signs about 2 miles | | | | most people take two and a half to three hours to ride |
| to the parking lot. | | | | down. The ride back up the hill will take a little longer |
| The trail starts by going into the Taft Tunnel. This is the | | | | probably two to two and a half hours of riding if you |
| longest tunnel on the trail and is 1.8 miles long. You | | | | do not ride a bike a lot. |
| need to take good lights to ride in the tunnel. When you | | | | The Hiawatha Trail is Beautiful. The beauty of the trail |
| enter the 1.8 mile tunnel you will see a speck of light at | | | | comes partly from the fact that it goes through an |
| the other end. It is really dark without a light. Halfway | | | | area of Montana and Idaho that hasn't changed much |
| through the tunnel you cross the border into Idaho. | | | | since Lewis and Clark traveled though the Western |
| Even in the heat of summer this tunnel is cold. | | | | United States. There aren't any telephone lines or |
| From here the trail starts down the western slope of | | | | power lines or cell phone towers within sight of the |
| the rockies. There are many overlooks and several | | | | Hiawatha Trail. Even though you can see almost |
| more smaller tunnels. The Hiawatha Trail has several | | | | forever in this area there is very little sign of man |
| old railroad bridges. This part of the railroad line was | | | | except for the trail itself and the access road. It is |
| built between 1908 and 1911. These bridges were | | | | practically wilderness area that we all can enjoy |
| refitted by the US Forest Service to make them safe | | | | without having to walk for hours. |
| for biking and walking. About every mile there is a | | | | Hiawatha Trail Summary. A beautiful summer bike trip |
| small historical stopping place. Each will have a turn out | | | | just off Interstate 90 on the east side of the Montana |
| to get away from the trail. | | | | Idaho border. If you are traveling through the |
| Who can ride the Hiawatha Trail? The trail is a very | | | | Northwest, this is another great reason to bring your |
| gentle 2% grade all the way from the exit of the first | | | | bike. Any Comfort, Mountain or Cruiser bike will do The |
| tunnel to the bottom of the trail. During the summer | | | | roadbed is a well developed stable gravel road. I would |
| months there is a shuttle service that you can buy a | | | | not recommend riding a narrow Road tire on this trail. |
| ticket to ride back to the top. It is not a hard ride back | | | | The vistas, Tunnels, and bridges are stunning. |
| up. If you do not ride a bike much expect to ride down | | | | |