Find the top rated birding trails in Idaho, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Stayed in Kellogg and rode most of the trail. First day Harrison-Plummer and back, then Harrison-Black Rock and back. Lots of dead trees from forest fires. Second day Kellogg-Black Rock and back then Kellogg - Osborn and back in the afternoon. Decided to skip I-90 part from Osborn to Mullan and went MTB instead for a day. Lots of wildlife - moose, birds, turkeys. Not very many people riding in the end of September especially during the week. Harrison-Plummer is probably the most scenic.
Loved this rail trail. The tunnels were a cool treat (especially on the way uphill) and the trestle bridges provided gorgeous views. We saw a few deer, a snake, and chipmunks along the trail. It’s 15 miles downhill and the. You can get a shuttle to take you back up or just ride your bike back up. The uphill is a continuous slow climb. We rented regular bikes from Lookout Pass and paid the extra money to have them transport the bikes to the trail for us. They do provide a free bike rack but our rental car didn’t have a spot for it. We rode downhill, then back up. Dropped our bikes off at the beginning of the trail and we were in our merry way.
As of today, September 4, 2021, the description of the Snake River Trail is out of date. There is now a continuous trail from Shoshone Falls on the East to Washington Street on the West. I’m not sure of the exact distance, but it’s at least 5 miles 1 way, maybe a little longer. I ride it several times a week, weather permitting. The ride up out of Shoshone Falls is quite steep with hairpin turns. I have an electric bike so I can do it easily, but would have a hard time otherwise. I’m a 72 year old female. Younger athletic folks with good bikes can come up with a bit of extensive effort.
My second ride on Hiawatha was on an e-bike and it was a blast ¿ Rode down and up, faster up than down. Love it¿¿
Glad we went on a weekday. And seeing 5 moose made our day. The bridge is awesome also. One of my very favorite rides.
I ride a lot of mountain bike trails. My wife does not. However, we enjoy riding together. Rails to Trails have been great for us to do together. This trail was perfect! We started at the Warm River Campground. Yes, it costs $7 to park there BUT the facility was well kept and beautiful. The upkeep is not free. I don’t mind paying for what I use. From the campground we biked to the tunnel. The tunnel is cool. It was like looking at a relic from the past with stories buried into the rocks, walls and wood beams. All along the ride you have AMAZING views of a beautiful river. Sometimes it is as calm as a baby sleeping. Other segments it’s as furious as a toddler being told NO. My wife and I enjoyed it all! The grade is gradual with a sight incline on your way out and a nice decline on your way back. We went to the cattle guard gate and turned around. It was a great ride. We
Went from Saltese to Lookout Pass one day and Lookout Pass to Mullan the following day. Take a map. Only saw three signs indicating Northern Pacific Trail and they were on the Idaho side, very little help. The Borax tunnel is closed but a steep bypass route is available, hike-a-bike up this steep road. Again this is a multi-use trail, 10 ATVs passed by, campers along the trail, Forest Service truck and semi with excavator on a trailer came down the trail, plus a few bikers encountered on the trail. Saw a number of deer, including a very nice buck. Trail condition was good and easy enough to ride. On the Idaho side a couple mile section of the trail has a 4% grade, the norm is 2%. That section was easy to coast down with a little more effort to come up but still not terrible. The trail map shows the trail ending at the fish hatchery but the description talks about starting in Mullan. Estimate the overall trail length from Saltese to Mullan to be close to 28 miles. Don’t expect trail signage, take a map, and read the trail description details.
For our second visit to Hiawatha we were on pedal assist e-bikes. Rode down then up, WOW what a blast. Can’t wait to do it again.
Rode this trail in June, 2021 on the 3rd day of the 300k Bitterroot loop. We started in Harrison & rode to Wallace on Day 1, to Haugan on Day 2, then turned around and headed West & South to Avery on Day 3, and on to St Maries on Day 4.
The Hiawatha trail is managed by the Lookout Pass Ski Area. You are supposed to pick up your trail pass at the Ski Area on the day you are riding, but our route that day did not take us past the Ski Area (we were riding from Haugan on the Olympian trail). So we purchased our trail passes online, printed out our receipt, and exchanged the receipt for our trail passes at the East Portal of the St Paul Pass Tunnel.
Trail surface was excellent -- packed dirt with no large rocks or ruts, and just a few potholes. No problem riding on our road bikes (gravel bikes) with 35 mm tires. A little muddy inside the tunnels, but still ridable. Our pannier racks kept the mud from spraying up onto our backs. Be sure to bring headlight, rear flasher, and a windbreaker or long sleeves for the tunnels. Awesome scenery through miles of wilderness, did not see any roads or buildings for miles.
At the South end of the trail in Pearson, you can turn around and ride back, or arrange for space on a shuttle bus when you purchase the trail passes. Or you can continue beyond Pearson to Avery. There are 2 routes to Avery -- Moon Pass Road is a public gravel road that uses the old RR grade up above the St Joe River. Road 300 is a narrow road alongside the St Joe River. We took Moon Pass Road to experience more of the old RR trestles and tunnels. But the gravel was loose, we had to do a lot of weaving to avoid loose peastones. I think the surface is better on 300.
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