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OVERVIEW
The Idaho Panhandle tour is a clockwise loop starting and ending in Coeur d’Alene, ID. The route travels north on quiet back roads along Hayden Lake to Sandpoint, Idaho. After following Lake Pend Oreille and the Clark Fork River into Montana, the route heads southwest over Thompson and Dobson Passes to the historic mining town of Wallace, Idaho where we will spend a rest day. We then follow the spectacular Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes to Harrison, ID. The following day we enter Washington and ride north to Spokane, where we pick up the Centennial trail back to Couer d’Alene. This 375 mile, 7 day tour has something for everyone, tremendous variety in scenery, mountain passes, lakes and streams, plentiful opportunities for sighting wildlife, and two beautiful trail systems.
Download the route map (PDF).
WHAT TO EXPECT
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY
This tour is rated as Intermediate. This tour has a 63-mile daily average though two days are over 80 miles. Several days are nearly flat but one day includes two mountain passes for a total elevation gain of approximately 12,000’. Although the route generally traverses lightly travelled rural roads, there are occasional stretches with no shoulder or significant traffic.
WEATHER
Weather in the Idaho Panhandle area can be very warm in August. Nevertheless riders should also be prepared for rain and chilly conditions.
MEALS
This tour will provide both snacks and lunch on riding days. Breakfast and dinner are your responsibility; however some of our accommodations provide continental breakfast.
LODGING
Quality of lodging varies from basic to traditional motel chains such as Holiday Inn Express, Red Lion and La Quinta.
ITINERARY
Saturday, August 6
We meet the first night in Couer d’Alene and get to know each other during a brief informational meeting.
Sunday, August 7 (Day 1) – Coeur d’Alene, ID to Sandpoint, ID - 81 miles, approximately 3,000’
We work our way through Coeur d’Alene to Hayden Lake whose shores we follow for 17 miles. We then proceed northward through rolling hills to the Pend Oreille River which we follow all the way to Sandpoint, ID.
Monday, August 8 (Day 2) Sandpoint, ID to Thompson Falls, MT 84 miles, approximately 2,500’
The beautiful Lake Pend Oreille and the Clark Fork river are our constant companions today as we travel southeast along a scenic highway toward our eventual day’s end in Thompson Falls, Montana. The road is dotted with interpretive signs and the landscape has you seeking waterfowl and moose throughout the day.
Tuesday, August 9 (Day 3) – Thompson Falls, MT to Wallace, ID - 56 miles, approximately 5,000’
Today we get to test our climbing legs. The 2400’climb starts gradually but ends with a little kick to reach the top of Thompson Pass. Once over the pass we are back in Idaho with another shorter climb to the top of Dobson Pass. The rest is a wonderful downhill into Wallace, Idaho.
Wednesday, August 10 (Day 4) – Rest Day in Wallace, ID
Spend the day checking out the historic town center with several museums including a mine tour, or rent mountain bikes and ride the spectacular Hiawatha Trail (See http://www.skilookout.com/hiaw/).
Thursday, August 11 (Day 5) - Wallace, ID to Harrison, ID – 50 miles, approximately 500’
We spend all day on the spectacular Trail of the Couer d’Alenes. We first travel through the Silver Valley, then past lakes, marshes, streams, and rolling farmlands along Lake Couer d’Alene to Harrison. There is a very good chance that we could spot wildlife including moose.
Friday, August 12 (Day 6) – Harrison, ID to Spokane, WA - 65 miles, approximately 1,250’
Today we travel the last 17 miles of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alene crossing the lake on a long trestle before climbing up through woodlands to Plummer. From here we continue along quiet roads past rolling farmlands before eventually entering Spokane.
Saturday, August 13 (Day 7) – Spokane, WA to Coeur d’Alene, ID - 35 miles, approximately 250’
Our final day ends by riding the Centennial Trail all the way back to our cars in Coeur d’Alene.
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