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David, the girls, and I enjoyed a fabulous Fourth of July weekend cycling the celebrated “Route of the Hiawatha” high amongst the peaks of the Bitterroot Mountains bordering Idaho and Montana. Following a portion of the historic route of the Last Transcontinental Railroad, it traverses scenic mountain landscape with snowy peaks.
The Route of the Hiawatha high in the mountains.
Considered the “Crown Jewel” of the Rail to Trails system, we biked across 7 sky - high trestles and rode through 10 winding tunnels, most of which were dark and damp.
With enthusiasm, we began our trip at the bottom of the trail in Pearson and cycled 15 gentle uphill miles to the famous 1.7 mile long St. Paul Tunnel. After a picnic lunch on the other side of the tunnel, we rode back down.
The St. Paul Pass is a thrill ride all its own.
The 30 mile round trip was a fantastic ride! With the exception of a little sunburn and my bruised bum, we were none the worse for wear.
The romance of the railroad lives on with the Hiawatha Rails to Trails.
The “Hiawatha” was an extraordinary biking quest!
Stay tuned. I will be sharing more of this exciting adventure with you another article.
