Tea Hiawatha Trail on the Montana / Idaho border is a gem of trail riding rails. This is part of the old Milwaukee Road Railroad. The trail begins 5 miles from the Montana Idaho border on the Montana side. Leave Interstate 90 at Taft Exit # 5 on the Montana side. Then follow the signs for about 2 miles to the parking lot.
The trail begins by entering the Taft Tunnel. This is the longest tunnel on the trail and is 1.8 miles long. You need to have good lights to travel in the tunnel. When you enter the 1.8 mile tunnel, you will see a patch of light at the other end. It’s really dark without light. Halfway through the tunnel it crosses the border into Idaho. Even in the heat of summer, this tunnel is cold.
From here, the trail begins on the western slope of the rocky. There are many viewpoints and several smaller tunnels. The Hiawatha Trail has several old railway bridges. This part of the railroad line was built between 1908 and 1911. The US Forest Service overhauled these bridges to be safe for biking and walking. About every mile there is a small historic stop. Each one will have a turn to move away from the road.
Who can hike the Hiawatha Trail? The trail has a very gentle 2% incline from the exit of the first tunnel to the end of the trail. During the summer months there is a shuttle service where you can buy a ticket to return to the top. It is not a hard return trip. If you don’t ride a bike, you will expect to hit the trail at about 10 miles per hour. It’s 14 miles, so it will take about an hour and a half of driving. This is very easy even for the most sedentary because you can easily break it down into twenty minute runs with lots of rest stops. With all the scenic overlooks and signs, it takes most people two and a half to three hours to get down. The trip back up the hill will take a bit longer, probably two to two and a half hours if you don’t bike much.
The Hiawatha trail is beautiful. The trail’s beauty comes in part from the fact that it runs through an area of Montana and Idaho that hasn’t changed much since Lewis and Clark traveled the western United States. There are no phone lines or power lines or cell phone towers in sight of the Hiawatha Trail. Although it can be seen almost always in this area, there are very few man signs except for the trail and access road. It is a practically wild area that we can all enjoy without having to walk for hours.
Hiawatha trail overview. A beautiful summer bike trip along Interstate 90 on the eastern side of the Montana Idaho border. If you are traveling in the Northwest this is another great reason to bring your bike. Any Comfort, Mountain or Cruiser bike will do. The platform is a stable and well-developed gravel road. I would not recommend riding a narrow road tire on this trail. The views, tunnels and bridges are impressive. Enjoy
Don’t forget your camera
Link Hiawatha Trail to Zbikenut Bike Parts