Road Rides in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

[Alex]

I'm looking for suggestions of places to ride my road bike in the Coeur d'Alene area. Something between 40 and 70 miles. Thanks!

Alex

[Susan126]

Alex,

There is the "Trail of the Coeur d' Alenes" that crosses the northern part of Idaho. It's 72 miles long and beautiful!

Here's a link with some information but you can find a lot more information by googling a search:

Trail of the Coeur d' Alenes (http://wallace-id.com/CdA_trail/)

This page offers a lot of information though. Follow some of the links. The photo page is beautiful!

Sue

[Alex]

Thanks, Sue. That looks like a beautiful ride. Do you think it's safe for a woman to ride it alone? Or might it be too isolated? Maybe I can hook up with a group ride if I can find a local bike shop.

Alex

[Susan126]

Alex, even if people tell me a trail is safe I still would never cycle alone. Do you have any friends that cycle who might like to go along?

[Irulan]

I would NOT ride that alone. Unfortunately while that trail is a terrific addition to the communities in that area, they aren't policingthe in town parts very well. My friends stopped for ice cream in Harrison ( omg, great ice cream there) and white trash low life were harassing he and his wife and kids while they were sitting in the city park taking a break. Personally I think you are at more risk in the towns like that than on the trails, as most creeps are too lazy to get more than 50 feet from their cars.
Check with Vertical Earth in CDA, and Mountain View Cyclery in Hayden Lake. Great shops, with really strong road riding teams out of them.

irulan

[Susan126]

Wow, that's good to know Irulan. Hubby and I have been thinking about doing a vacation there and riding the trail but now I will have to give it more thought. :(

[Irulan]

well- you should still go as it's gorgeous. I mean, you shouldn't not go. My friends spent 3 days camping at Heyburn State park and riding different sections and they had a blast. However.... just be aware. There are really nice folk up there but there certainly is an, ahem, white trash component to a very small % of the population. I thought my friend should have reported the harassment, as many of the communities are really looking for the trail to be an enhancement and a new way to generate visitor dollars. But the trail is incredible - or so I've been told. I've yet to make it up there on my knobby tires :D And, that is the only incident I have ever, ever heard of.

We sail up to Harrison a few times a summer with some friends on their boat, that's how I know Harrison.

~I.

[Aint Doody]

The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes is just fabulous. Depending on how far at a time you want to go, I'd think it'd be fine to ride alone from one town to another. And there's the Chacolet Bridge--wonderful! I never saw anybody on the trail but other cyclists. Near Harrison you have a lot of novices and have to remind them to look out. If you get up that way, do the Hiawatha Trail near Wallace, I think, or Kellogg. It's a gravel trail on another rails to trails route. They rent mt. bikes there if you need one. You go thru tunnels and over trestles. It's lovely. If you take your own bike, take a light.

[Aint Doody]

Alex, the Trail of the C d'A is a little far from Coeur d'Alene. There's the Centennial Trail in C d'A. You cross a bit of traffic, and part of it is on the streets of the town. I'm not sure of the total distance, but it's around the lake.

[bikerHen]

Alex, are you just visiting? Or do you live there. I'm just across the state line in Spokane and would be happy to ride with you on the trail. We go over there from time to time to ride. It's a great trail. Just let me know. bikerHen

[Alex]

Thanks, AD! BikerHen, I am visiting, so I will PM you. I'd love to get together for a ride! :D

Alex

[Irulan]

Centennial Trail (http://www.spokanecentennialtrail.org/)

The Centennial trail does not go around Lake CDA, although it does follow the north shore for a bit. Going around the lake is all narrow two lane roads.

The CT is 37 miles in length, from Coeur d'Alene to past Spokane at Nine Mile Falls. It's quite lovely in place, also non separated from the road in places too. One short section along Upriver Drive, in Spokane, just W of Argonne Road is closed due to construction right now.

[Susan Otcenas]

Jeff & I just did the Trail of the Coeur d'Alene two weeks ago. 85 mile r/t from Cataldo to Plummer and back. We had ABSOLUTELY no problems with anyone on the trail. We stopped in Harrison for lunch and had nothing but wonderful experiences with the locals.

This is such an amazing ride, that one person's story of a bad experience should not deter you from going. You can have a bad experience with teenagers in the local park in your own town, anywhere in America, any day of the week. There is nothing wrong with the towns along the trail. In fact, the trail is SO rural, that there's hardly any towns along the trail anyway. From Cataldo to Plummer - 42 miles - I think we crossed 2 paved roads total.

Along the trail we saw: 3 black bear, 4 moose, including a mama and two calves, 2 grey wolves, a flock of wild turkeys, countless bird species including an incredible # of herons, turtles, etc. The pavement quality is excellent. In this section the trail follows the river and lakes most of the way, so the scenery in fabulous. The "climb" from the lake to Plummer is so gentle that you'll cruise up it quickly (it is an old railroad grade, after all). And the Chacolet bridge was lots of fun to ride down.

Here's a few photos from the trip:

[Irulan]

This is such an amazing ride, that one person's story of a bad experience should not deter you from going. You can have a bad experience with teenagers in the local park in your own town, anywhere in America, any day of the week. There is nothing wrong with the towns along the trail. In fact, the trail is SO rural, that there's hardly any towns along the trail anyway. From Cataldo to Plummer - 42 miles - I think we crossed 2 paved roads total.


you are right in that... so did you get ice cream in Harrison? That should be the main reason for the ride!

[Susan Otcenas]

you are right in that... so did you get ice cream in Harrison? That should be the main reason for the ride!

No, we didn't get any ice cream there and don't mention to Jeff that there WAS good ice cream to be had there or he'll be terribly disappointed. :D We ate lunch and then got back on the road.

We *did* have ice cream in Plummer at the western terminus of the trail (mid-point of the ride for us, since we had to ride back to Cataldo) however. After all, a ride without ice cream at some point in the ride is hardly worth doing at all! Long rides with Jeff are almost guaranteed to include ice cream....

[oxysback]

Great pictures, Susan!!

I hope to be adding some of my own in a few months. We're doing this ride with about 5 other couples in August. We're riding from Coeur d'Alene to Plummer, staying overnight in a hotel, and riding back the next day. I'm really looking forward to it!

[Susan126]

Wow, great pictures Susan . . . thanks for sharing them! It sounds like you and Jeff had a wonderful ride! I will definitely place it back on my list of rides to do!