Idaho’s Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes: July 2025 Trail of the Month
Although the northern Idaho town of Harrison has just 270 residents, in the summer, the number of people in town swells. Nestled along the eastern shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene and the western tail of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, visitors are drawn in by the outdoor activities that abound here.
“On some days when the trail is active, there are thousands of people in town,” said Trevor Smith, owner of The Cycle Haus, a bike shop and restaurant just off the trail. “It completely changes the pace of things.”
This is Smith’s fifth season running The Cycle Haus and he’s seen growth every year. “The owners before us saw the same,” he observed. “The trail probably kept our town alive, and our retail businesses wouldn’t be here without it.”
From Harrison, the 73-mile paved pathway heads east largely following the Coeur d’Alene River to the mining town of Mullan in Idaho’s Silver Valley. In this lush, quiet landscape rich with wetlands and wildlife, trailgoers may well find moose on the trail sauntering toward town as if they have errands to run.
A smaller section of the trail heads south from Harrison, tracing the scenic lakeshore and then journeying west to Plummer, a one-square-mile hamlet not far from the Washington border.
About the Trail
Idaho’s Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes is a 73.2-mile paved rail-trail in Benewah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties. You can walk, bike, inline skate, snowmobile and cross-country ski on this wheelchair-accessible trail.
A Complex Legacy
In Plummer, a commanding bronze statue stands of a Native American warrior, installed by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe to honor their tribal veterans. The figure watches over the trail, a powerful reminder that this land has long been cared for and protected by those who came before.
“The schitsu’umsh, meaning ‘Those who were found here’ or ‘The Discovered People,’ are proud to welcome users to recreate on the trail running through the Tribe’s homeland,” said Coeur d’Alene Tribal Council Chairman Chief J. Allan.
From Plummer, the trail stretches 14.5 miles across tribal lands, with the remaining eastern section managed by the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, who estimate that the trail receives over 140,000 visits per year.
“The course follows the historic trail used by the Coeur d’Alene people traveling to the Coeur d’Alene mountains, the north and south fork of the Coeur d’Alene River, the Cataldo Mission and areas of cultural significance throughout the region,” explained Jason Brown, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s program manager for recreation management. “It runs through the heart of the Coeur d’Alene Reservation and accordingly was named the ‘Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes.’”
On the trail’s eastern end, the Silver Valley is steeped in a rich and complex mining legacy. The discovery of vast deposits of silver, lead and zinc in the late 19th century catapulted the region into global prominence as one of the most productive mining areas in the world. Boomtowns like Wallace and Kellogg grew rapidly around the industry, drawing waves of immigrants and laborers in search of opportunity. The valley also became a flashpoint in the American labor movement, playing a central role in the fierce and sometimes violent labor wars of the 1890s.
Railroads were instrumental in the growth of the Silver Valley, developing in lockstep with the region’s burgeoning mining industry. In the 1880s, rail lines provided a crucial connection between the valley’s remote mining towns and national markets. The Northern Pacific Railroad extended a branch into the valley by 1887, reaching the town of Wallace. Soon after, the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company—later absorbed into the Union Pacific system—constructed a competing line, further cementing the region’s role as a mining powerhouse.
One of the rail-trail’s most iconic features, the Chatcolet Bridge (which is owned and managed by the tribe), is a remnant from this time period. While today it offers sweeping views over Lake Coeur d’Alene, it was originally constructed for transporting ore from the Silver Valley.
But as mining declined in the late 20th century—due to falling silver prices in the 1980s, shrinking ore reserves and increasingly stringent environmental regulations—rail traffic dwindled alongside it, marking the end of an era. In 1983, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) added parts of the Silver Valley to the National Priorities List, designating the Bunker Hill Mine and surrounding area as a Superfund site. Nearly a decade later, in 1992, the Union Pacific Railroad officially abandoned a section of track that would eventually become the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes.
Built atop waste rock and mining tailings, the railbed was heavily contaminated with heavy metals. In response, the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Council—whose ancestors have called the region home for generations—filed a lawsuit to compel its cleanup, resulting in a landmark collaboration between the Tribe, the EPA, the State of Idaho and Union Pacific, and leading to the remediation of the former rail corridor and its transformation into a scenic and safe recreational trail.
“The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes has a long and sometimes complicated history for the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, but it stands as an example of what good leadership and intergovernmental cooperation can accomplish to create a community benefit in the face of environmental challenges,” said Chairman Allan.
From Rails to Revival
Opened in 2004, the rail-trail provided access to picturesque parts of Idaho’s Panhandle that were once inaccessible to the public. Just a few years later, the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes earned a spot in Rails to Trails Conservancy’s Hall of Fame, along with another nearby rail-trail, the Route of the Hiawatha. Over the decades since, towns in the Silver Valley have transitioned from an economy rooted in mining and timber to one centered on tourism and outdoor recreation.
Tucked within the Coeur d’Alene Mountains, Kellogg offers year-round activities, from skiing and snowboarding in winter to cycling, mountain biking, fishing and hunting during the warmer months. Nearby Wallace attracts visitors with its historic buildings (including the beautiful Northern Pacific Depot Museum), mining lore and a distinctly irreverent charm.
In Wallace’s downtown, The Tin Snug, located just a few blocks from the trail, serves as a popular hangout. Occupying what was formerly a funeral home, the restaurant now offers breakfast and lunch, ice cream, and coffee, as well as an extensive selection of vinyl records.
“Many of our guests are grabbing a bite to eat before or after hitting the trail for the day,” said Karie Cleveland, who owns The Tin Snug with her husband, Brian. “Wallace is very fortunate to have it going right through our town and so easy to access.”
Rick Shaffer, who was formally a hotelier and director of operations for a corporation that owned three hotels in Wallace, estimates that rail-trail users account for more than 40 percent of the warm season bookings.
This influx of visitors—and their tourism dollars—may also increase as awareness builds for the developing Great American Rail-Trail, which is linking 3,700 miles of trail between Washington, D.C., and Washington State. The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes and connecting NorPac Trail host the Great American across Idaho. A 2022 economic impact study estimates that their part in this national route may generate $13.4 million in annual visitor spending.
Involved since the trail’s early planning stages in the late 1990s, Shaffer now leads the Friends of Coeur d’Alene Trails, a 700-member nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the enjoyment, development and maintenance of the trail. He notes that while not everyone wanted the trail in the beginning, many of the original opponents are now among the trail’s most loyal users.
“The economic benefits of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes saved small-town northern Idaho,” he enthused. “It saved Kellogg, saved Harrison, saved Wallace.”
Related Links
- Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation
- Coeur d’Alene Tribe
- Friends of the Coeur d’Alene Trails
- Visit North Idaho
Trail Facts
Name: Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes
Used railroad corridor: Union Pacific
Trail website: Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation
Length: 73.2 miles
Counties: Shoshone, Kootenai, Benewah
Start point/end point: 115 Second St. (Mullan) to the Warriors and Veterans of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe Landmark on Annie Antelope Road, 350 feet west of US 95 (Plummer)
Surface type: Asphalt
Grade: The trail is mostly flat. There is an elevation change from the eastern terminus at Mullan of 1,000 feet over 20 miles. From the western terminus at Plummer, there is an elevation change of 500 feet over 5 miles.
Uses: Walking, biking, in-line skating and cross-country skiing; wheelchair accessible. In the winter, snowmobiling is also allowed in the Mullan-to-Wallace stretch only.
Difficulty: With its paved surface and access to many amenities, the trail is considered easy for most trail users.
Getting there: The closest major airport to the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes is Spokane International Airport (9000 W. Airport Dr., Spokane, WA), about 50 miles from the Plummer Trailhead on the west end of the trail.
Access and parking: There are several places to park along the trail; we’ve listed a few options here from east to west. *Indicates that at least one accessible parking space is available.
- Mullan Trailhead*: 115 Second St. (47.4692, -115.8002).
- Historic Wallace Trailhead: Under I-90, 300 feet north of Pine St. and 6th St. (47.4740, -115.9236).
- Pinehurst Trailhead*: E. Fork Pine Creek Road, 0.1 mile northeast of the Exit 45 exit ramp off I-90 (47.5492, – 116.2240).
- Chatcolet Bridge (Plummer): Chatcolet Lower Road and Upper Chatcolet Road (47.3740, -116.7626).
- Warriors and Veterans Memorial (Plummer)*: Annie Antelope Road, 350 feet west of US 95 (47.3408, -116.8903).
To navigate the area with an interactive GIS map, and to see more photos, user reviews and ratings, plus loads of other trip-planning information, visit TrailLink™, RTC’s free trail-finder website.
Rentals: In Wallace, The Spokehouse (519 Bank St., 208.699.6882) offers e-bikes and a shuttle service; Bike Wallace (425 Pine St., 208.610.1584) offers both conventional bikes and e-bikes. In Kellogg, the Coeur d’Alene Bike Company (21 Railroad Ave., 208.786.3751) offers rentals from what was formerly a Northern Pacific freight depot. In Harrison, The Cycle Haus (100 N. Coeur D’Alene Ave., 208.689.3436) has e-bikes for rent, a shuttle service and a restaurant on the premises.
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