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Trail of the Coeur D'alenes

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Trail of the Coeur D'alenes map A TRULY UNIQUE TRAIL Now, the trail itself is part of the environmental cleanup in a partner- ship between the Union Pacific The "Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes" is one Railroad, the U.S. Government, the of the most spectacular and popular State of Idaho and the Coeur d’Alene trails in the western United States. Tribe. The thick layer of asphalt on the Here, you will find 73 miles of newly laid trail and the gravel barriers along the asphalt that’s perfect for road bikers and trail serve to isolate the contami- in-line skaters. nants and allow the area to be The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes used once again. Although not nearly spans the Panhandle of all of the trail is susceptible to Idaho as it runs along rivers, recontamination, it’s best to use beside lakes and through Idaho’s caution and follow trail rules. historic Silver Valley. The section between Plummer and Harrison has been thoroughly cleaned and is not susceptible to recontamination. Because the section between Harrison and Mullan is vulnerable to flooding, contami- nants may be in the soil around the trail. Please stay on the trail The unique- and in ness of the trail isn’t simply the desig- beautiful scenery and attractions along nated its route, but it’s an innovative solution picnic areas. to the environmental problems caused by the early miners in the Valley. Silver was discovered in the Valley PROTECT YOURSELF BY around 1884 and construction of the rail line to support the growing mining and FOLLOWING THE RULES timber industries was started in 1888. • Stay on the trail. Much of the trail today follows this • Wash hands and face before eating. original rail line, giving it a gentle grade. • Eat at designated waysides and trailheads. When the rail line was built, mine waste • Remove dirt from clothes, toys, pets, rock and tailings containing heavy met- shoes, and equipment before leaving als were used for the original rail bed. the area. In addition, the bed was contaminated • Don’t let children play near shorelines with accidental ore concentrate spillage. or off the trail. • Carry water for drinking and washing. Attractions mation and artifacts from the late 1890s and early 1900s. The old jail, a structure con- structed entirely of 2 x 4’s and built Northern Pacific Depot Railroad Museum around 1920, has been This railroad museum is located in an his- moved to the Crane toric depot listed on the National Register of House site. Historic Places. The museum transports you Coeur d’Alene’s Old back to the time when Mission State Park railroads were the king The state park features the of transportation. oldest standing building in Exhibits tell of the rich Idaho, the Mission of the history of railroading Sacred Heart. Also known as in the Coeur d’Alene Cataldo Mission, it was built Mining District and between 1848 and 1853 by of the depot itself. members of the Coeur d’Alene You can see a rare Tribe and Catholic missionaries. The build- 13-foot glass map of the Northern ing has walls one-foot thick and was built Pacific Railroad. entirely without nails. The park also has a restored parish house next Sierra Silver Mine Tour door to the Mission and an his- This unique tour offers a rare opportunity to toric cemetery. personally experience the heritage of the Heyburn Silver State Park Valley. This is the The oldest state tour park in the Pacific Northwest. Over 5000 acres of begins forested land invites you to explore its by boarding more than 22 miles of backcountry trails. a sixteen-passenger trolley. On Three lakes and the St. Joe River make up the short trip to and from the mine portal, a the 2300 acres of clean, clear water that narrated tour of Wallace is provided. Hard beckons to water lovers. Heyburn has three hats are issued at the entrance and an campgrounds, one adjacent to the trail. experienced guide takes you through the Heyburn’s cruise boat, the “Idaho”, offers main tunnel of the mine. relaxing brunch and dinner cruises and an occasional cruise to Harrison. Crane House in Harrison Harrison has a col- Kellogg orful historical her- At the heart of the Silver itage and the Valley, a rich mining area Crane Historical east of Coeur d’Alene is Society perpetu- Kellogg, named for the man ates it in the who discovered the largest sil- Crane House ver strike in the area. Kellogg Museum. It is home to the world’s longest contains his- gondola, Silver Mountain Ski torical infor- Resort, Crystal Gold Mine, Staff House Museum and more. What to expect Flora & fauna You don’t have to be fit to enjoy this trail with Wildlife is abundant along the trail. The its gentle grade and smooth surface. The trail best time to see wildlife is in the evening has 20 developed trailheads and 17 scenic along the more remote sections between waysides that have picnic tables and benches. Enaville and Harrison. In this chain of Dispersed along the trail are 36 unique lakes section you will find a large popula- bridges and trestles that cross mountain tion of waterfowl and other water-based creeks, whitewater animals. Moose, osprey, eagles, herons, rivers and tranquil otters, and beavers are a few of the many lakes. The east end animals you may see. The ecosystem of the trail passes ranges from narrow mountain valleys to through a narrow low marshland. Expect to see white pine mountain valley once and douglas fir in the upper reaches of heavily mined for the trail and willows, cottonwood and pon- silver. The valley derosa pine in the lower section. In the is dotted with fall the wooded hillsides and trees sur- numerous small rounding the chain of lakes are ablaze historic mining with color. With the abundance of water, communities each numerous plants are present such as offering their own water lilies, cattails and wild rice. unique features. The middle section of Hunting & Fishing the trail follows the tranquil Coeur d’Alene River, passing fifteen small Hunters may use the lakes and marshes loaded with trail for access to other waterfowl. The west end of the hunting property. trail lies along the shoreline of Discharge of firearms scenic Coeur d’Alene Lake or hunting from or for six miles. It crosses a across the trail cor- 3100-foot bridge/trestle ridor is prohibited. to Heyburn State Park, Fishing is allowed the Northwest’s oldest along the entire state park. The trail corridor, but not then follows the remote forested Plummer Creek canyon for six miles, ending in the recommend- community of Plummer. ed due to shoreline Trail management contamina- tion. Fishing The trail is divided into two sections based is also dis- on management. The Coeur d’Alene Tribe couraged manages the portion of the trail within their on leased reservation boundary (14.5 miles between or private Plummer and Harrison). The Idaho land. Department of Parks and Recreation man- Fishing ages the rest of the trail from Harrison to from Mullan. Through a joint powers agreement, bridges is numerous cities and counties have agreed encouraged but use to assist the trail managers with law caution when back casting. enforcement and maintenance. T he newly constructed 73 mile long asphalt trail nearly spans the Panhandle of Idaho. The trail, which starts in Plummer, generally follows the shoreline of Coeur d’Alene Lake then passes through a chain of lakes and marshland evnvironment and follows the scenic Coeur d’Alene River up into the mountains to Mullan. Enjoy this Northwest treasure. Special Events Any group wishing to host a special event or commercial activity on the trail must have authorization from the trail manager. Please see the useful phone numbers section for contact information. Trail Etiquette • Be courteous to all users • Slower traffic has right of way • Do not block path • No more than two abreast • Bikers yield to pedestrians • Use safe speed • Signal when approaching from the rear • Keep right except to pass • Control your dog and pack out excrement • Do not litter (pack in/ pack out) Future Possibilities How I Can Help In the next few years we will better under- The trail’s potential cannot be reached stand how people use the trail without the help of the citizens who live and what they expect from and work there. Volunteers can adopt a it. With community section of the trail to help the manager support, we keep a watchful eye on it and to assist in anticipate picking up litter. In addition, you can help to enhance the trail by making a tax- deductible donation to the non-profit group, the Idaho Foundation for Parks and Lands at 208-344-7141. © Idaho Department of Parks & Recreation and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe Useful Equipment • Water • Sunscreen • Daypack • Camera and connecting • High-energy food film the west end of • Small first-aid kit the trail to the • Trail map / brochure Washington State John • Sunglasses Wayne Pioneer rail trail which travels from Seattle to Tekoa. We hope to connect the east end of the trail from Mullan to the Route of the Hiawatha rail trail on the Montana border. We also expect to add parking lots and Legend expand or install additional toilets. Safety Tips • Bikers and in-line skaters Change in Elevation Additional 3,400 If you are looking for a downhill experience, should always wear helmets 3,200 the legend below will help you plan 3,000 interpretive signs are 2,800 your starting point on the trail.
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