The Desert Ski Club is Riding the Hiawatha Trail
Thursday, September 4th, 2025
Registration opens July 4th once costs have been confirmed. Watch for the announcement.
It was called one of the most scenic stretches of railroad in the country. When the Milwaukee Railroad was operating, the trains traversed through 11 tunnels and over 9 high trestles, covering a 46-mile route that crossed the rugged Bitterroot Mountains between Idaho and Montana. The "Route of the Hiawatha" is most famous for the long St. Paul Pass, or Taft Tunnel which burrows for 8771 ft. (1.66 miles) under the Bitterroot Mountains at the state line. This ride traverses a brief yet picturesque segment of this historical pathway.
Route options
Top to Bottom (shuttle included)
The ride from East Portal (top) to Pearson (bottom) is 14.4 miles and is a gentle 1.6% to 2% downhill ride most all the way. Even with picture taking and enjoying the scenery, this part should take 2 or 3 hours at most. The wait for the shuttle at the bottom varies, but the average wait time is 45 minutes. The shuttle drive takes about 30 minutes. Note: the shuttle only takes you to Roland, where you will then bike back through the St. Paul Pass Tunnel (1.7 miles) adding another 15-20 minutes to your ride time. The total mileage for this ride is about 16 miles.
Top to Bottom to Top (no shuttle)
The total ride down and back up is almost 30 miles, total elevation 984 feet. This is a great option for riders who are comfortable with spending more time in the saddle. For perspective, I did it in 2021 from bottom to top to bottom and stopped at most of the informational signs, took pictures, grabbed a bite at the top, etc, and it took me just under 3 hours.
Logistics
Okay Suzi, but why Thursday? Because people may want to skip the shuttle and ride down and back, and the Fri/Sat/Sun trail passes include the cost of the shuttle whether you are using it or not. And we don’t like paying for stuff we aren’t using, right?
This will be a meetup. You will arrange for your own lodging for Wednesday and/or Thursday night. I will look for a deal on a hotel in Wallace, or you can RV camp with me. There are boondocking campsites near Lookout, or we can find a place with hookups. There will be a meetup for dinner after the ride in either Wallace or Kellogg, TBD.
The trail opens at 8:30 am, closes at 5. Shuttles operate from 11:45 am to 4:15 pm. We will be meeting at Lookout (time TBD), then we’ll caravan to the Taft trailhead, located about 20 minutes past Lookout ski area (Montana side).
What kind of bike do I need?
You will be most comfortable using a mountain bike or a gravel bike, but you can use almost any bike you want to use (certain e-bikes are restricted, so check first). I would not recommend a skinny tire road bike. Helmets and bike lights are required.
Bike rentals are available at Lookout Pass and can be delivered to the trailhead if needed. Bike rentals include helmets and lights. Helmet rentals and/or light rentals are also available separately.
If interested, be sure to register (no cost) so that we can include you in the meetup communications.
Questions?
Contact Suzi Gaines at 509-947-2748 or suzigaines@hotmail.com.