from west glacier to seattle...stopping in Idaho....where?

Hi...

I am planning a family vacation for four....(kids 8 %26amp; 12).

We will be leaving West Glacier and heading to Seattle to see friends and want to break up the drive and thinking about staying two nights.

I have found the bike trail following an old train route ...I think it is outside of Wallace that I would really like to do.

We like doing things that are off the beaten path not into the touristy places....more of what the locals would want to do.

I was thinking about stopping some where around Coeur d%26#39;Alene and just having a little down time....maybe take a boat tour or ride bikes around the lake.

The more I look at being right in Coeur d%26#39;Alene the more it kind of looks a little touristy to my taste....but then again we are talking about a short stay of just two nights.

Would we be better off staying a little way away from here

and if so any suggestions??

I don%26#39;t want the drive to be too long to Seattle.

Any suggestions as of where to go, lodging suggestions, favorite local eateries and more off the beaten path suggestions for recreation or cultural experiences would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!

from west glacier to seattle...stopping in Idaho....where?

oh by the way...it will be during peak season...July 28 and 29.

from west glacier to seattle...stopping in Idaho....where?

1. There are two bicycle trails yo may be thinking of. One is the Trail of the Coeur d%26#39; Alenes which follows the old Union Pacific Line from Mullan, Idaho to Plummer, Idaho. Paved trail which follows the Coeur d%26#39; Alene River for much of its route, also runs along Coeur d%26#39; Alene Lake from Harrison to Heyburn State Park. Here is a web site with some info: friendsofcdatrails.org The other trail if the Hiawatha Trail which follows the old Milwauke Railroad from just across the Montana line to the upper reaches of the St. Joe River in Idaho. Very scenic with multiple tunnels and trestles you cross on a gravel roadway. Here is a web site with info: www.skilookout.com/hiaw/

2. Coeur d%26#39; Alene is a tourist destination in the summer for sure, mainly because of the lake and a nice downtown and city park. An alternative is to stop in Sandpoint, Idaho which is smaller than Coeur d%26#39; Alene but has many of the same activities and qualities, but it will have tourists, North Idaho is such a beautiful area with access to very large lakes and great summer weather so its hard to avoid tourists. To get to Sandpoint from Glacier you could take US Highway 2 from Kalispell or drop down to Plains, Montana from Glacier and take Highway 200 into Idaho. Another alternative is Wallace, Idaho which has a very historic downtown, nice museum in a old railroad station, but does have more limited services than Coeur d%26#39; Alene or Sandpoint. From Sandpoint or Coeur d%26#39; Alene you are looking at a 5 to 6 hour drive into Seattle if you go via Interstate 90

How about the undiscovered part of North Idaho, the Clearwater Country. You would come in from Missoula Mont. on high way 12. Rent a forest service look out and experience the largest block of wild country in the US except for Alaska. Rent a cabin and do an ATV trail ride. A Bed and Breakfast near Dworshak Reservoir? A stay in Hells Canyon and jet boat ride on the Snake thru Hells Canyon? White water raft trip on the Snake, Selway, or Salmon River? Cutthrout trout fishing in some of the wests top Blue Ribbon streams, with no one else around? All this and much more is within 2 hours of Orofino in the heart of the Clearwater Country. And you won%26#39;t find any crowds. Let me know what you might want to do and I will put you in touch.

Hi...

Thank you both for great suggestions!

It is the Hiawatha Trail that looks so great to me...a little worried about the really long tunnel though...have you rode through it? Is it scary or clastrophobic? Would really like to ride the whole trail.

The wanting to do this kind of leaves the Clearwater area to another time....though everything you said sounds great to me! With just having two days and the intention of getting to Seattle it seems like I need a more direct route in order to take in any of Idaho.

I don%26#39;t mind a few tourist as long as I don%26#39;t feel like I am in Disney and every store and restaurant is built with a tourist in mind. Like I said I just really prefer to go where the locals would go.....we live in Orlando....need I say more?? :)

I simply want to make the best of our stay in your beautiful state.....just wish we had more time....but we have a trip of a lifetime planned.

Red Lodge to Yellowstone (4nights)to Flathead Lake(2 nights) to the Blackfeet Reservation (to stay in tipis and a cultural horseback ride) (2 nights) then to Glacier (4 nights)....Idaho (2

nights) then off with friends in Seattle for two weeks.....I can%26#39;t tell you how excited I am....and just having a blast planning this!

Love finding the off the beaten path things....like the bike ride...this is a fantastic site....I can%26#39;t thank you enough!!

I believe I heard about a cool ghost town somewhere near CDA?

Am I right....and is it worth a trip?

Thanks again!

1. I have ridden the Hiawatha trail multiple times including twice with my 80 year old father. Its a great ride, all downhill if you use the shuttle bus, great scenery and history (it has history signs along the route to tell riders about the railroad and its construction). The first tunnel is by far the biggest and can be a challenge to riders. You need a strong bike headlamp because otherwise it will be completely dark, I usually take along a good flashlight along to supplement the bike headlamp. The rental bikes from Lookout Ski area come equipped with bike headlamps. I don%26#39;t have a problem with riding through the tunnel but my father has had some difficulty with peripheral vision while in the tunnel and in that case we just walk our bikes through the tunnel. It is possible to drive up over the hill and start to ride at the west entrace to the tunnel instead of riding through it. The other tunnels are much shorter and only involve a very brief period of darkness.

2. The ';ghost town'; in this part of North Idaho that people may be referring to is Murray near Wallace, Idaho. Its not really a ghost town in that there are still residents in the town. It was one of the first mining communities in this part of the state. Reached by paved road from Interstate 90 along the Coeur d%26#39; Alene River (very scenic). Two interesting places to eat along the way. Enaville Resort just after you exit Interstate 90 on the Coeur d%26#39; Alene River Road, and the Sprag Pole Inn and Museum in Murray.

Hi,

It sounds like you have a great trip planned. I am a huge fan of Idaho, there are so many beautiful places that you can stop in this state.

One suggestion for lodging would be the ski hill near Sandpoint, Idaho. They have some great deals in the summer, since it%26#39;s their off season. Here%26#39;s the link to their website:

http://www.schweitzer.com/

I love Sandpoint and Couer d%26#39;Alene, Sandpoint is a smaller city, along another really large lake, so there are plenty of recreational activities possible in either city. And it%26#39;s definitely not what I would call touristy!

Wallace is another fabulous town to wander through, particularly if you enjoy history or architecture.