MotorcycleJazz - Tour of Idaho route description

The Tour of Idaho (T1)

Beginning in 2024, you are free to use the maps, waypoints and information here any way that you please. I will keep the popular "challenge point" system that includes optional bonus and semi-optional challenge sections, because riders liked it. But no more jersey numbers or tracking. The Tour will involve 13 trail days and cover over 2000 miles and 250,000' of elevation. The Tour is rideable July through September.

The trails that comprise the Tour are on public land (with a few noted exceptions). There are no guides and no one makes any money off this other than those who sold you what you need to ride a dirt bike in the wild and merchants along the way. All that we do is plan, publish maps and a route description, and then go out and saw/maintain a lot of trail. You are welcome to the fruits of our efforts.

Most days have an optional challenge section (these are not the same as challenge points, which are not optional). Groups must complete a number of challenge sections equal to the number of riders in the group (up to three - the largest group size allowed). Some of the challenge sections are long, some are technically challenging, some are difficult to navigate and some are all of the above.

Don't ride closed trails, have fun. Take some sense with you. Be careful out there.

Daily maps at 100K resolution: D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7, D8, D9, D10, D11, D12, D13. The color code is as follows: red = normal (two person) route, green = solo route variation, blue = three member route, yellow = challenge section, black = bonus section, purple = circumstantial alternative (generally, in case of fire). If your browser cannot downlad these jpeg files, try Firefox.

Here is the special navigtion section on D2. Here are the mystery section written directions for D3, D4, D7 and D12. Here are the maps for D3, D4, D7 and D12. Finally, here are the Challenge Points.

For all GPS units, here are the gpx files (note: different browsers handle the .gpx extension differently. If the normal left click and save doesn't work try right click and save. If that doesn't work use Firefox): D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7, D8, D9, D10, D11, D12 (n/a), D13. If you have further questions please read this. files. The waypoints in the files are descriptively named, e.g., 1D = day 1, 1C = day one challenge section, x = one person route, y = two person route, z = 3 person route. Bonus or alternative sections are denoted with small letters, e.g. "a." So waypoint 3Dxy22 would be the twenty-second waypoint on day three on the route taken by one and two member teams. Waypoint 1Db3 would be the third waypoint on the second bonus section of day 1. A bit of map study will clear up any confusion.

Moonrise and Sunset at Chinese Peak

The longest distance between fuel stops is about 250 miles, and you'll have to manage this twice - very workable on most large desert tanks along with a Giant Loop fuel bladder or two.

Finally, some miscellaneous helpful bits. We have an extensive collection of Tour of Idaho videos on our YouTube page. The SNOTEL page provides valuable information about the nature of snow levels on many passes along the Tour. The Idaho Parks and Recreation OHV website have interactive maps with very high resolution views of the trails for the entire Tour. These maps are an invaluable resource for road/trail numbers, opening and closing dates - there's even an Inciweb layer available. For fire information check out the Idaho Inciweb page. The Idaho Digital Atlas contains a wealth of useful information about the Tour route. We also highly recommend the Roadside Geology of Idaho, an indispensable pre-ride winter read.

Don't mess around. We recommend the best for the Tour.
Jimmy Lewis does the Tour of Idaho

A trail is much more than a line on a map - it's the sum of of the efforts of all who worked to make it a reality. We owe a great debt of gratitude to several individuals who helped us wrestle this epic off of our laptops and into the great outdoors.

Tracy J. Gravelle, the trails coordinator for the St. Joe Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forest, spent hours with us on the phone and in exchanges of email planning the route through the St. Joe. Stacy Baker and Dusty Baker of the Challis District provided much useful assistance. The Challis district, btw, has the best trail crew in the state.

Members of the Elk City Dust Devils ATV club are among the most helpful and gracious off-roaders it's been our pleasure to meet. They provided invaluable assistance in helping us with the area from the Magruder Road to Lowell.

Many thanks to Donn Dennis, Jim Spooner and Andrew Hixson, who provided information on northern Idaho.

Thanks to our friends at Pocatello Power Sports for keeping us in bikes, tires and accessories.

Note: Nearly all of the small towns along the Tour route have at least one establishment with free WiFi. A WiFi enabled cell phone will generally be the only inexpensive way of checking in with family and friends at the end of each day and uploading challenge point photographs. A really good reason for not using one's cellphone as a primary GPS is that uploading Challenge Point photos becomes problematic if one's phone gets damaged or lost because it's exposed and vulnerable (it's happened many times).

The following description breaks the Tour into thirteen segments. The advantages of the suggested schedule are that accommodations are not generally a problem and the riding difficulties are distributed so that one day is not radically more difficult than the next. The intervals are as follows: D1 - Malad to Pocatello, D2 - Pocatello to Arco, D3 - Arco to Leadore, D4 - Leadore to Mackay, D5 - Mackay to Smoky Bar Store, D6 - Smoky Bar Store to Challis, D7 - Challis to Salmon, D8 (half day) - Salmon to North Fork, D9 - North Fork to North Fork, D10 - North Fork to Elk City or Lowell, D11 - Elk City or Lowell to Superior or St. Regis, MT. D12 - Superior or St Regis to Wallace, D13 - Wallace to Sundance Mountain.

The average Tour day is 200+ miles.

Please bear in mind that though we have covered every inch of the recommended route and believe our descriptions to be accurate, conditions can change, in some instances very rapidly, due to weather, fire, human activities, closures, etc. A group once got lost and abandoned the Tour because of a new trailhead parking lot. It's very common for people to miss trails or challenge points because they get tracks to follow from sources other than here. But as thorough as we've tried to be, the route description and GPS files provided here are no substitute for the ability to pull out a map and figure things out when you discover that you're not in Kansas any more. Those attempting to substitute a GPS unit for route finding and the ability to read a map will doubtless spend a lot of time lost. Again, navigation is a deliberately important part of the adventure.

The Tour of Idaho is not a casual undertaking. Completing the Tour requires reasonably high degrees of riding skill, outdoor acumen, physical conditioning, navigational ability, mechanical skill, knowledge of emergency first aid and a healthy dollop of good luck. The information on this website is not meant as a substitute for any of the above. A trail that we describe as flat and fast, for instance, may change overnight as the result of a storm. You ride the Tour at your own risk. Any attempt to replace "eyes on the spot" judgment with something you read here (or elsewhere) may well result in calamity. You may want to check out the FAQ for answers to specific questions we've gotten (or wish we had).

Snowslide

Please note that all estimates for time on the trail do not factor in the additional time required for extensive sawing or completing the more difficult challenge sections.

In order to assist in assessing what you are riding into from day to day, we have produced a series of trail ratings for the ATV and single track trails on the Tour. Please note that these are based on nominal conditions, and that all it takes is one storm to change things. All ratings assume an unaccompanied rider with no support, on a loaded Tour bike, riding the trail for the first time. Remoteness, fatigue and technicality are all taken into account. The scale is from 1 (easiest) to 5 (most difficult) and the ratings are normalized to Tour of Idaho trails. So a rating of "5" does not mean the most difficult trail in the Universe, just one of the most difficult along the Tour.

The technical ratings are augmented with a scale borrowed from the MPAA we've pressed into use here to indicate mental stressors such as exposure, creek crossings and anything else that could ruin a Tour for the unlucky or unwary. No suffix indicates a trail that should be no problem for any competent solo rider of intermediate ability on a loaded Tour bike. A suffix of "PG" indicates slightly elevated risk. A suffix of "R" means that one should make doubly sure that their beacon is working. A suffix of "X" means to radio the tower and have them foam a runway.

Finally we have attempted to quantify the quality of each trail. This, of course, is highly subjective and it is what it is. An asterisk (*) indicates a trail of above average quality. Two asterisks (**) indicates a trail of that is virtually overflowing with redeeming social value. Three asterisks indicates a veritable cornucopia of the most noble characteristics to which any trail may aspire.

Malad City

The Malad City Chamber of Commerce has arranged free parking in Malad, just a few miles north of the Utah border, for Tour of Idaho riders. Here is a kmz file that you may open in Google Earth that shows where the parking is, and here is what it looks like from the street. Just leave a note in the windshield of your rig that you are riding the Tour of Idaho (it might not hurt to check in with the local police either). The recommended accommodation in Malad City is the Hotel Malad, which is just a short jog from the parking area. Hess Lumber and Evans Co-op can take care of your last minute hardware and sporting goods needs.

D1 - Utah to Pocatello (190 - 220 miles)

D1 Profile

Jenkins Hollow	ST	1
Old Baldy Connector	ATV	3
Old Baldy Connector *	ATV/ST	3
Clifton Basin Loop	ATV/ST	2+
Old Baldy-Weston Peak, PG **	ST	3-
Ruben Hollow	ST	1+
Ruben Hollow to Davis Basin	ATV	1
Oxford Ridge, PG **	ATV/ST	2+
Cherry Creek/New Canyon	ATV/ST	1
West Elkhorn/Kents Canyon *	ST	3-
West Elkhorn *	ST	1
Monson Canyon	ST	2
Farmer's Canyon	ST	2
Elkhorn Loop	ATV/ST	2
Fenceline Trail *	ST/ATV	3-
Wright Creek	ATV	1
Aspen Hollow	ATV	1
Sedgwick Peak	ATV	2
South Boundary Trail	ATV	2
Robber's Roost (W to E), PG *	ST	3+
North Boundary Trail	ATV	2-
CS Boundary Trail	ATV	1
CS Reed Canyon	ST	5-
CS Girl Scout Camp	ST	4
CS Robber's Roost (E to W), PG *	ST	4
CS Boundary Trail	ATV	2-
Inman Pass	ATV	2
South Fork Inman Creek ***	ST	1+
Blackrock Canyon	ATV	2-
Chinese Peak *	ATV	1

Utah/Idaho Border. Challenge point #1

Please note: you must complete D1 before midnight on the day you set out or it's a DNF. This is for your safety. If you get any reasonable start (before 5 a.m.) you should be in Pocatello before dark. If not, the great wheel in the sky is trying to tell you something - and you should listen.

Day one yields long, enjoyable stretches of technical riding. There is more single track on D1 than many dedicated dirt bikers encounter in an entire month of normal riding. Roughly 2/3 of the route consists of rugged single track, ATV or Jeep trail, with a total elevation gain between 35,000 and 42,000 feet, depending on the route taken. There are several impressively long and/or steep climbs. Navigation is challenging. Most competent riders will take 13 hours or so to ride the solo route and 14+ hours for the two and three-member team routes - without the challenge section or any bonus sections. Gas, food and water are not a problem, with the longest distance between services being about 70 miles. D1 is designed to give you a taste of what is to come. If you cannot ride D1 in less than 17 hours in reasonable conditions, or if you find the riding and/or navigation to be overly difficult, you will find the days that follow to be desperate.

The Tour starts near I-15 Idaho exit #3 (Woodruff Road). This is a quick and easy ride from Malad. From Malad, take Old Highway 191 south some 10 miles to Woodruff Road. Turn left and head east over the freeway, then right (south) another mile to the trail head at the mouth of Burnett Canyon. Head three miles east up Burnett Canyon to a ridge.
Turn right (south) and head downhill a mile or so to the Idaho-Utah border (pictured left). This is the official start of the Tour. You should be there by 6 am, latest.

From the border, head north six miles along a series of roads and ATV trails (70055 and 7488) to Dry Creek Campground. Follow the dirt road east out of Dry Creek (71224 then 70053) to ID 36, some 5 miles from the campground. Cross the highway and continue about 1/2 of a mile to an intersection. Turn north (left) and proceed a few miles along a series of roads to trail 7451. Take 7451 uphill. Note that your first opportunity for a bonus trail is the Old Baldy Connector (7438), which leaves the main route at waypoint 1Da0. Either way, you'll continue some 4 miles up to single track trail 7437. After this, proceed over Old Baldy (8356') and on to Weston Peak (8165').

On the north side of Weston Peak, locate the intersection with trails 7443 and 7444. Trail 7444 (North Weston Peak) is the first part of a bonus loop. Others, head north on 7443 to Reuben Hollow. Take trail 7441 east (right) a few miles to Buck Peak. Here the trail turns north and descends about a mile into Davis Basin. After Davis Basin the trail ascends the steep spine of Oxford Ridge, gaining about 2000'.

After a couple of miles of climbing leads to a knoll with a spectacular view. From here, Oxford Ridge levels off and heads northwest toward the summit of Oxford Peak.

Weston Peak

Near waypoint 1DxyzOP1, there is a faint singletrack trail that heads off the west (left) side of the ridge, just before a steep climb to another knoll. Miss this and you'll regret it (especially on the way back). Park at 1DxyzOP3 and hike a short distance to the summit of Oxford Peak (1DxyzOP4). Do not ride your bike(s) along the final footpath.

After the out and back to the summit of Oxford Peak, the Tour route descends from Oxford ridge east near Pine Corral Spring along an ATV trail (7419) steeply into Oxford Basin. The descent from the ridge is not obvious and a look at this video may prove useful.

After a long descent to a small lake, the trail climbs out of Oxford basin and rises along a series of short climbs spread over a few miles, leading to a dirt road that goes east (right). Go left after 1/4 of a mile and head steeply uphill to a series of ATV trails (7419) a few miles to Cherry Creek.

At waypoint 1Dxyz29, head west (left) down Cherry Creek Trail (406) to New Canyon (420). A series of dirt and paved roads leads south then west, crossing I-15, to waypoint 1Dxyz39 and the West Elkhorn Foothills/Kent's Canyon Trail (329, 334).

Soloists will ride the entire West Elkhorn Foothills singletrack trail (329) to Farmer's Canyon, with an optional (Monson Canyon) bonus about halfway through this section. At the northern end of 329, you'll take West Wakely Peak (7391) up and over the Elkhorn Range crest down to North Canyon, where you'll rejoin the nominal route at 1Dxyz42.

Two and three-member teams will turn north (right) after a few miles on 329 and head up Kent's Canyon (334), crossing the Elkhorn Crest near Kent's Peak, and then down Mill Canyon to an intersection with Powerhouse Road.

At this intersection two-member teams head east (right) down Powerhouse Road to the 330 trailhead, Summit parking area, and then north on trail 330 to the intersection with 331.

Three-member teams head west (left) back up over the Elkhorn Crest, around the west side of the range, back up to the Elkhorn Crest near Walkey Peak, then south and east back to where the three variants merge again at waypoint 1Dxyz43 (333, 336, 330).

Oxford Ridge

From 1Dxyz43, where the routes merge, it's just a few miles along some ATV trails (371, 325, 374) to Fenceline Trail (384, 331). Fenceline will test your navigational skills. It's incredibly easy to get led astray in the maze of criss-crossing game trails.

After Fenceline Trail, the solo route follows FS044 east to Marsh Valley road, then south and east along a series of farm roads toward Downey. There is a truck stop where the road crosses over I-15, just before Downey.

Two and three-member teams will turn left (west) from the end of Fenceline and take a series of jeep trails south toward Farmers Canyon. The Wakely Peak trail loops back over the Elkhorn crest and down to the Summit Guard Station at the east end of Mill Canyon. From there follow farm roads to 1Dxyz71, where all routes converge.

From 1Dxyz71, take Back Downata Road a few miles past Downata Hot Springs to US 91. Though it shouldn't be an issue at this point, gas is available a few miles north on Highway 91 in Downey or south at Swan Lake. Downata Hot Springs is a nice place to stop for a few minutes to cool off with a drink and a snack.

After crossing US 91, the Tour jogs south about a mile to Calvin Road (Red Rocks Back) on the east (left), then east along Pratt Road to Cottonwood Valley. The route then follows a series of logging roads and ATV trails (video) that ascend to the summit of Sedgwick Peak (9167'). A series of roads follows the crest of the Portneuf Range northwest from Sedgwick Peak some 10 miles, eventually descending to Lava Hot Springs.

Fenceline Trail

Lava Hot Springs is a resort community that is a fine place to stop for food and gas before the afternoon/evening trek to Pocatello. We recommend Sunnyside Store/Sinclair station, on the way out of town, for a quick lunch and fuel stop.

About a mile west of Lava on US 30, turn north (right) on Sunnyside Road (70030). Head north 3 miles up Beach Hollow (watch for a jog to the right near a house and a "dead end road" sign) to an intersection with the Boundary Trail (7272). Here, the regular Tour route continues west and north along the Boundary Trail some six miles to Robbers Roost Trail (7253). Robbers Roost climbs steeply up the west side of the range (video) eventually crossing the Portneuf crest just north of Haystack Mountain (9033'). There is then an equally steep descent several miles to Big Springs Campground back on the eastern side of the range. From Big Springs follow the Boundary trail north about 4 miles again to the Portneuf Range crest this time at Inkom Pass (7232').

The D1 challenge section follows the Boundary Trail (7272) east and north from Beach Hollow for several miles to Reed Canyon (7277), then up Reed to Girl Scout Camp Trail (7274, road 70022), back to the Boundary Trail a few miles south of Big Springs Campground. The challenge section then takes Robbers Roost Trail (7253) from east to west (reverse of the regular route) to the Boundary Trail and follows the Boundary trail north a few miles to Inkom Pass. It's permissible to bail at the top of Reed Canyon and ride down Bob Smith Canyon to reconnect with the regular route if you conclude that you've bitten off more than you can chew. Why you should ride this. Because it's there. Why you should not. It's long and difficult right out of the chute and has ended many aspiring rider's hopes of completing the Tour less than a hundred miles in. D1 is already a long, long day. There's a lot more ahead.

From Inkom Pass, follow trail (7243) uphill and north, then downhill and east to the South Fork of Inman Creek (video) trail. Follow the South Fork Inman Creek single track (7240), one of the most enjoyable trails of the Tour, north several miles to Inman Canyon Road. At the intersection with Inman Canyon Road head west (left) and descend several miles to an intersection with Rapid Creek Road.

Inkom Pass

From the intersection of Inman Canyon and Rapid Creek, travel west into the small town of Inkom. Inkom is a good place for gas and a cool drink, if you choose, before the last sprint to Pocatello.

From Inkom, head west about five miles along US 30 (all pavement) to Blackrock Canyon Road. Turn right and proceed under the freeway and north into Blackrock Canyon. One, two and three-member teams have their own routes to the top of Blackrock Canyon, where the routes all merge near 1Dxyz120. From there, it's a final few miles of surprisingly fun ATV trails to the summit of Chinese Peak. The views are grand, especially around the time of day you'll be getting there (if you got a good early start).

From the summit of Chinese Peak the town of Pocatello lies in the valley to the west. Follow the wide, well-traveled gravel road that descends toward town.

About three miles from the summit of Chinese Peak, you'll encounter the TID flagpole on the left, about 100 yards from the BLM parking area at the top of Barton Road.

This is the last challenge point of D1. The flagpole is on private property. You are welcome to sign the register but please do not enter the property beyond the flagpole without prior arrangement. The signs warning of an electric fence should be taken seriously. You should also know that the llamas spit, the dogs bite and the folks who live there are known to be armed, crazy and dangerous.

Pocatello is the largest town along the Tour route. It's a full-service University community of over 50,000 with numerous motels, hotels, restaurants and shops of all kinds. We do not recommend any particular motel or hotel because all of the ones above "no tell" status are just fine.

Pocatello has a tremendous motorcycle shop, Pocatello Power Sports (Honda/KTM/Suzuki). The foks at PPS understand what the Tour is about, all you have to do is call ahead and they can have anything that you need ready. They are great at getting you in and out fast should you encounter bike difficulties on D1. Make sure that you treat them well.

There are other shops in town catering to dirt bike needs as well. The best of these is Syndicate Development, where Doug Haskett, AMA Team mechanic and genuine motorcycle rain man, can hook you up. Appointment in advance is highly advised.

While in Pocatello, we recommend The Sand Trap, Mama Inez or the Sandpiper for dinner. Best bets for provisions are Fred Meyer for food and general supplies. There are a variety of hardware and farm supply stores in Pocatello that have basically everything.

Ethanol-free gas is available at Oak Street Sinclair (premium Ethanol-free is available at any local Sinclair).

Tour of Idaho Flagpole/Register

D2 - Pocatello to Arco (220 - 250 miles)

D2P

Slate Mountain, PG ***	ST	2
Lead Draw	ST	1
Crestline Cycle Trail/Scout Mountain, PG *	ST	2
Bell Marsh	ST	2
Bell Marsh to Lead Draw	ATV/ST	2
Valve House/East Fork	ATV	1
Racetrack Trail	ST	2-
Transmission Line	ATV	1
Corral Creek	ATV	2
Elk Meadows	ATV	2
Pole Canyon PG	ATV	1
Wildhorse/Kinport	ATV	1
Desert Trails	ST/ATV	2+

Day two contains some of the world's mellowest motorcycle single track trail. It's an enjoyble morning on mountain trails followed by some desert sand and lava rock later in the day. The total distance from Pocatello to Arco is between 220 and 250 miles, depending upon the length of the special navigational challenge that you draw.

Begin by heading west out of Pocatello to Gibson Jack Road (70008) and follow it to its end. At the west end of the parking lot find the ATV trail that crosses a creek and heads uphill (7015) for less than half a mile to an intersection. Go left (downhill) a short distance to trail (7018) which narrows to single track and heads southwest up Dry Creek. Follow this trail some 6 miles as it contours the eastern slopes of Gibson and Slate Mountains (video). Aside from some brief side hill moments of concern this trail is one of the best anywhere.

Slate Mountain Trail

Slate Mountain Trail

You'll eventually descend to Mink Creek Road. Turn left there and proceed northeast for about a mile to a well-marked intersection with East Fork (Scout Mountain) road on the right. Follow this east for a few miles to a road on the left, just before a switchback. Follow this road a short distance to a picnic area/campground.

Proceed south through the picnic area to the Crestline Cycle Trail (7148). The Crestline Cycle Trail winds up wooded slopes to eventually emerge beneath the rugged and spectacular east face of Scout Mountain (video). After about 4 miles from it's start the Crestline Cycle Trail intersects road 70009. From here one turns right (west) and follows the winding road 2 miles to the top of Scout Mountain (8700'). Your first CP of the day is on top.

After the summit of Scout Mountain, reverse your tracks back to the intersection of Crestline Cycle Trail with road 70009. Look for trail 7178 (Bell Marsh) on the left (east). A 20-mile loop heads east down Bell Marsh, then north as it circles back around to the west and back into Lead Draw. It's a fun set of trails that are not difficult.

Continue generally west along a set of ATV trails through a recreational area to Valve House Trail, head south along Valve House to an intersection with East Fork Trail (7186), then north to an intersection with Race Track Trail (7184), a single track trail that veers sharply to the left (west). Follow this for about 3.5 miles west to South Fork Road (70163). Race Track Trail is a local favorite. Watch for uphill MTB traffic.

Slate Mountain Trail

Crestline Cycle Trail

Proceed north along South Fork Road a few miles to an intersection with Bannock Highway/Mink Creek Road. Turn right (north) and proceed a short distance to Corral Creek Trail parking area on the left.

Follow Corral Creek (7061) a few miles uphill to a dirt road (Clifton Creek - 70006). Head north along this road a few miles to the Elk Meadows ATV trail (7022). Follow this loop, clockwise, to trail 7029, Pole Canyon. Note - local mountain bikers have cut numerous illegal trails in this area and many trail signs have been removed. If you do get lost exiting the Elk Meadows loop, most trails on the west side of the loop will take you down to Midnight Creek (7058). You won't be the first person to take an alternative route down to the creek.

Turn right (north) at Midnight Creek and climb a few miles to the highlands around Kinport Peak. Continue north a few miles along a series of ATV and Jeep trails to Trail Creek Road. Turn left (west) on Trail Creek Road and proceed over Trail Creek pass, down to Michaud Creek road. Take Michaud Creek Road north a few miles to East County Road, a low-traffic road which parallels interstate 86, west toward American Falls.

Once in American Falls, find your way to the Bingham Co-op (waypoint in the parking lot), the best place for fuel and supplies in AF. The sandwiches there are awesome.

The route out of American Falls proceeds west along ID 39 across the American Falls Dam. Just across the dam turn left (west) onto Lamb Weston Road. Jog around a few corners and turn south (left) on Borah Road a short distance later. Follow Borah Road south and west about a mile to a railroad crossing. From here follow Lake Channel Road 4 miles southwest and begin looking for a sandy bowl on the right.

The normally fine, extremely dry basaltic sand in this area is the most difficult that some have ever ridden. Where the trails are whooped it's difficult to keep up the speeds required to stay on top of the sand. It is incredibly important that you scout the rock chute entrance to Lake Channel, to make sure that you are in the right spot, before taking the plunge - as the surrounding cliffs reach heights of nearly 100'. Most attempts to do this after dark count as failed suicides rather than heroic deeds.

Please note that it can be very hot in the desert most afternoons during Tour season. Do not go out into the desert without proper hydration and ventilation. On a hot afternoon, the 150 or so mile ride from American Falls to Arco can be very serious (110+ temps). Once you get out of the sand and into the basalt rock (after the first 30 miles) you'll be able to ride fast enough to cool down - except for numerous gates that need to be opened and closed. The only real respite from the heat will be the summit of Big Southern Butte many miles to the north. Plan accordingly.

To enter the sand, bear right off Lake Channel Road onto a sandy road. Follow it about 1/4 of a mile to a wash that leads slightly downhill to the west. Follow this to a well-defined trail that leads north down a canyon. After another 1/4 of a mile this trail climbs the steep left bank of the narrowing canyon then heads west along a fence line. Climb a sandy hill, head west a few yards, then head back downhill to a sand trail that goes west back to Lake Channel Road.

Follow Lake Channel road several miles west to Quigley Road. Take this north just a bit, then west, and look for a large, sandy parking area on the left (west). Proceed south then west about 1/4 of a mile to a cliff above Lake Channel Bowl.

It is advised that you get off your bike and scout the entrance to the bowl to make sure that you have the right one (a minimally technical short rock chute that's difficulty changes a bit with the amount of sand blown into the bowl below). Be aware that the cliffs in this area rise to about 100' above the bowl in some places and that you would be unlikely to enjoy the plummet should you choose your line poorly. There is a CP at the top of the rock chute entrance to the bowl. .

Once in the bowl, follow the waypoints a half a mile to a climb out of the bowl on the right. Proceed along through a mixture of dunes, rocky roads, sandy roads and sandy trail about 5 miles to an intersection with a trail that heads north. Turn right after a bit (east), and head back to Lake Channel Road. Once there turn left (north), cross the RR tracks, and immediately turn right, following Quigley road as it parallels the RR tracks. After about a half mile the road takes a sharp left and heads north from the RR tracks.

From here the route skirts the east edge of the Wapi Lava Flow some 35 miles to the Great Rift - an area of lava tubes and deep chasms in the Basalt. Proceed north along Quigley Road some 10 miles north to North Pleasant Valley then along Roth, Winters and Crystal Ice Cave Roads, to a sign that indicates that you are entering public land..

At this point, high tech navigation ends and you'll have to do it the old fashioned way: with a map, a compass and a way of accurately determining distance traveled. The special navigation challenge begins at the parking area at the entrance to public land. The compass in your gps unit or cellphone will probably be adequate, but an inexpensive handheld wll be much easier to use. I am doing nothing to make your route difficult to find or overly tricky, but I am going to make sure that you feel good about actual navigation by the time you get to BSB. I think that once you get to BSB you'll actually have enjoyed the experience. You must disable tracking on your PLB once you begin this section. You'll enable tracking once you reach the summit of Big Southern Butte.

I'll provide you with a set of directions (compass bearings, distances and landmarks) through the desert to Big Southern Butte (where waypoint navigation commences once again) when you reach American Falls.. If you look at any reasonably high-resolution map of the area you will notice that there are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of ways to cross that stretch of desert. Each team will have a custom route; it's length and difficulty will be tailored to team size. Soloists get the shortest and easiest routes.

The approximate length of route you'll have to navigate without waypoints should be somewhere in the 40 - 70 mile range. All of these routes will put you out somewhere along BSB-Springfield Road.

From BSB-Springfield Road proceed west to Frenchman's Cabin. The 6-mile trek to the top of the Butte begins here. On a clear day the view from the top (7560') includes a dozen mountain ranges, 1/3 of the Tour, most of T2 and parts of Utah, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho's Snake River Valley from the Tetons all the way to Boise (video). Your sixth and last D2 challenge point is on top of the butte.

From Frenchman's Cabin the Tour proceeds west along Quaking Aspen-Frenchman Road some 10 miles around the southern boundary of the Idaho National Laboratory. Head west toward Quaking Aspen Butte and an intersection with the Arco-Minidoka road. Most of this section near the end of D2 is fast and flowing. Head north along the Arco-Minidoka road 14 miles to an intersection with US 20/26/93. Turn north (right) and proceed about a mile into Arco.

Big Southern Butte

Arco is a small community with an excellent motorcycle shop (Lost River Honda), a variety of eateries and several motels. It's a dirt bike friendly town, and anything short of wheelies down main street will probably pass without notice. The folks at Lost River Honda have been especially helpful to Tour riders over the years. Treat them well.

D3 - Arco to Leadore (270 miles)

D3P

Sands Canyon Trail	ATV	2
Mike's Trail	ATV	2
Van Dorn Canyon	ATV	1+
Blacktail/Mud Lake	ATV	2
Hawley Mountain	ATV	1
MT1 ***	ST	3+
MT2 ***	ST/ATV	1
MT3 ***	ST	2+
MT4 ***	ST	3
MT5 **	ST/ATV	2
CS **	ST	5

Day three is long and fraught with adventure. From Arco, your journey begins into the very heart of Idaho and the best that the Tour has to offer. There's lots of single track, and all of it will be worthy of your attention. Gas should not be an issue (it's about 120 miles from Arco to Leadore). The first mystery section (navigation by trail name and directions) of the Tour begins north of Pass Creek Road. You'll receive instructions for the mystery section, via email, before you leave Arco. The total distance for D2 is around 250 miles. A challenge section is available in the mystery section. Like the West, itself, it's rough, but it's fair.

The route out of Arco may be found off US 20/26 near the southeast edge of town. Look for the submarine parked on the east side of the highway (I kid you not). Turn east (left) at the sub onto HiWay Drive which parallels US 20/26 southeast for a 0.3 miles to a fork in the road. Take the east (left) fork 1 mile to an intersection with Arco Pass Road on the north (left). After about 7 miles the Arco Pass Road intersects Sheep Camp Road near the base of King Mountain. Head east (right) then north along a series of jeep roads that skirt the eastern flanks of King Mountain, up and over Arco Pass, down to Little Lost River Valley.

From here you'll head north about 10 miles to the entrance to Sands Canyon ATV Trail (4210). At this point, the route divides briefly into x, y and z options.

Soloists will head north along 12101 and 12111 several miles to Bird Canyon (40214), then west (left) and uphill to Mike's Trail (4308). Follow Mike's Trail north for a few miles to an intersection with 40431, Van Dorn Canyon Road.

Two and three person teams will turn west (left) and proceed up Sand Canyon several miles to a divide between Bird Canyon (west) and Van Dorn Canyon (east). From the top of the divide, two member teams will head north on Sand Canyon trail to Mike's Trail (4308) and an intersection with the solo route. Three member teams will head west down Van Dorn Canyon (4217). All three variants intersect at Van Dorn Canyon Road.

Mystery Trail #1

Please note that Sands and Van Dorn Canyon trails are seasonal and close before the Tour closes (before the middle of September). After these trails close, all teams will follow the solo route through this area. Two and three member teams will be required to do a bonus loop to make up for the trails lost due to closure.

Shortly after the routes merge turn north (left) at Van Dorn Cutoff Trail (432) and after a brief jog north turn west (left) at Deer Creek Trail (277). After just a bit, turn right (north) and proceed north to the Hawley Mountain ATV trail, then northwest to Pass Creek Road.

From Pass Creek Road, it's about 75 miles to Leadore. Once you hit single track, I think that you'll find it to be among the best you've ever ridden. It's never incredibly difficult (except for about a mile) on a Tour bike, but it's continuously entertaining. Most riders consider this to be the premier section of the Tour. Just don't get to it after dark. That would be very unfortunte. You must disable tracking on your PLB in this (and every other) mystery section.

D4 - Leadore to Mackay (200 - 240 miles)

D4 Profile

MT1 **	ATV/ST	2
MT2 ***	ST	2
MT3 **	ST	2
MT4 (bonus 1) *	ST	4
MT5 **	ST	2
MT6 *	ATV	2
MT7 **	ST	2
MT8 ***	ST	3
MT9 ***	ST	2
CS, R **	ST	4
MT10 (bonus 2) ***	ST	3
MT11 *	ATV	1
MT12 *	ATV	1
Blacktail/Mud Lake	ATV	2
Bear-Wet Creek (bonus 3) *	ST	3

Day four may be long or short - depending upon choice of route. The nominal route is around 200 miles. There are three bonus sections and a challenge section. The second bonus is long - about 40 miles. The CS is one of the toughest. There is no gas available anywhere along the route, until you get to Mackay.

Most of D4 is a mystery route. The last 40 miles of the day are not, and those are described below. You should enable tracking, once again, at waypoint 4Dxyz0.

From 4Dxyz0, a series of farm roads will lead you from the Little Lost River Road to to Deer Creek Road (FS277). At 4Dxyz3, turn north (right) at Van Dorn Cutoff Trail (432) and after a brief jog turn west (left) at Deer Creek Trail (277). Head generally west, along FS277 and then FS4094 to an 8000' pass between Basin Creek and Mud Lake, then downhill several miles to an intersection with Pass Creek Road (122). This area is sometimes closed until late in the season due to a huge, active avalanche chute (you'll see it) and an alternative route is available if a detour is necessary.

At Pass Creek Road, a third bonus trail is available. To reach it, proceed north a few miles to Pass Creek Summit. From there turn west (left) and head up FS539 a mile or so to an intersection with trail 4092 on the south (left). This single track wanders around Warren Mountain some four miles to road 832 which intersects Pass Creek Road after a short distance.

Others head south down Pass Creek road a few miles to an intersection with Bench Road. Turn west (right) and proceed several miles to the town of Mackay. Mackay has gas, grub and a hardware store. There are three motels: The Bear Bottom Inn, The Wagon Wheel and The White Knob. Arco isn't too far down the road if these places are full.

D5 - Mackay to Smoky Bar (115 miles)

D5 Profile

Stewart Canyon - Corral Creek	ATV	2
Wildhorse Lookout, PG ***	ATV	2+
Burnt Aspen-Kane Canyon ***	ST	2-
Warfield-South Fork **	ST	2
CS Meadow Creek	ATV	1
CS Placer Creek	ST	3
CS East Fork Big Peak Creek	ST	4+
Middle Fork South Fork *	ST	2
Middle Fork Warm Springs **	ST	2
Dollarhide Summit *	ST	1
Big Peak - Carrie Creek **	ST	2
Grindstone-BIg Peak **	ST	2
Lick Creek (West)	ST	2-
Lick Creek (East)	ST	3
Lower East Fork Big Peak, PG	ST	4-
Big Smoky Creek, PG	ST	3
Lick Creek/Big Peak Creek Connector	ST	2+

Burnt Aspen/Kane Creek

Day five begins your journey into the center of Idaho. There's lots of single track. Gas should not be an issue. Most will find this to be a relatively easy, albeit surprisingly longish, day. Unless you do the challenge section, bonus section or are in a team of three, you should be kicking back at Smoky Bar Store by later afternoon.

From Mackay, you'll head out of town to the south via Smelter Ave, west past Anderson Spring toward the entrance to Grande Canyon. At waypoint 5Dxyz2 turn to the south and up Alder Creek Road. About six miles later, at waypoint 5Dxyz5, you'll intersect Mammoth Canyon Road (517) and turn north (right). Head up Mammoth Canyon about a mile to road 40516 on the west (left) which quickly turns into trail 4070 in Stewart Canyon. Those who disdain quad trails as unworthy are in for a surprise. You'll crest 10,000' for the first time on the Tour here on the White Knob Mountain crest, at the pass between Stewart Canyon and Corral Canyon.

After the pass you'll descend north then west down Corral Creek a few miles to Burma Road. Take Burma Road south to East Fork Road - the main drag through Copper Basin. Head north then west several miles to trail 4056 that heads up Wildcat Canyon and Wildhorse Lookout (9359') - truly one of the more spectacular spots along the Tour. Again, for those who disdain all quad trails as unworthy, here's another bit of trail to help with your evolution.

After the descent from Wildhorse LO, turn west (right) and jog down East Fork Road a short distance to Wildhorse Creek on the left. Head south along Wildhorse Creek Road (40136), past the Guard Station to Burnt Aspen Trail (4055) on the west (left). This trail is among the best of the entire Tour. You will enjoy the increasingly spectacular views as you wind your way up to the divide between Burnt Aspen Creek and Little Kane Creek - and they get even better as you wander down the Kane Creek drainage.

At the bottom of Little Kane Creek you'll encounter a road (40134) that winds its way west around Phi Kappa Mountain to Trail Creek Road (NFS 208). From here the route heads west over Trail Creek Summit. From Trail Creek Summit you'll head southwest some 12 miles to Ketchum/Sun Valley Idaho - a.k.a. "Glitter Gulch." Bruce Willis lives here. So do Peter Cetera, Steve Miller, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mark Zuckerberg, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher and Tony Robbins. Hemingway had a home here as well, and that might've had something to do with why he volunteered for an early ride on the great wheel in the sky, on July 2, 1961.

I suggest taking the time to park your fanny on a bench in the vicinity of Whiskey Jacques and just take it all in (you are, after all, on a Tour of Idaho). The immortal words of Sophocles, "Oh, God, here comes the dreadful truth," will never ring more true. More than a few hours here and you will want to jab yourself in the knee with a piece of rebar.

Do not let the laid back demeanor of the locals wearing $300 sandals fool you either. Almost everyone staring at you and your bike dislikes you and hates your bike. Shall I fan you gently so you don't go into shock?

Fortunately, there is a full-service motorcycle shop in the area. It's south a few miles, in Hailey. Karl Malone Powersports. Call in advance and these folks can usually get you in and out in short order.

Stewart-Corral

The pass between Stewart Canyon and Corral Creek. Photo was taken from the Challenge Point.

From Ketchum head west along Warm Springs Road (NFS 227) about 11 miles or so to Warfield-South Fork Trail (7151). Head southwest for a few miles until the trail climbs steeply through a series of switchbacks to an intersection with Red Warrior Trail (7120) on the left. Continue south, then west, then north to Middle Fork-South Fork Trail (7199). Here, just beyond waypoint 5Dxyz33, a short cut is available to soloists. All others will take Middle Fork Warm Springs Trail (7150) to Dollarhide Summit Trail (7995), then a few miles west toward Dollarhide Summit. The exit from the trail is a bit difficult to find but is very close to waypoint 5Dxyz35 off to the right in the middle of a steep uphill sectionl. Someone usually piles up some logs here to block the trail, but you'll most likely wheelie over them as the trail appears to continue ahead. It does, but only for another 1/4 of a mile or so.

The D5 challenge section begins near waypoint 5Dxyz33 and continues along trail 7151 (part of the solo route) to Meadow Creek ATV trail (7302) back to Warm Springs Road. A right turn here leads you to the challenging part of the D3 challenge: Placer Creek/East Fork Big Peak Creek (7076). Why you should ride it. It's challenging and scenic. Why you should not. It's a long way to the intersection with Lick Creek (7080) and you'll need your big-person jammies some of the way. In nominal conditions it's an adventure. Besidesa, getting to visit Smoky Bar Store is a Tour highlight. Why arrive later than you need to? Please note that the first part of this closes very early each year (end of August).

From Dollarhide Summit proceed west another 5 miles to an intersection with Trail 7016 (Big Peak) on the right. Follow this trail uphill a few miles to an intersection with trail 7081 (video). Follow this about 5 miles west to an intersection with Lick Creek Trail (7080). One and two member teams: continue straight on 7080 west 4 miles to an intersection with NFD 227 and Big Smokey Guard Station just a stone's throw down the road. Three member teams: Turn back right (east) on 7080, Lick Creek Trail, and follow it a few miles downhill to an intersection with East Fork Big Peak Creek (7076). Turn left (north) and head a few miles to an intersection with Big Smoky (7072). Beware of numerous creek crossings on Big Smoky Trail. More than one person has take an unplanned bath here. You might need to read this.

Your day ends at Smoky Bar Store. You must make reservations in advance if you expect to have a bunk for the night. Please make sure to tell Kaylin, your host, that you are on the Tour of Idaho T1. She'll do her best to hook you up. Please note that the Smoky Bar Store does not have gas pumps but you should ask about options upon booking. Smoky Bar Store Facebook, 208-539-7849.

Warfield - South Fork Trail - the "Cliff View" challenge point

D6 - Smoky Bar to Challis (170 - 185 miles)

D6 Profile

Paradise Creek (to Snowslide) **	ST	3
Paradise Creek (after Snowslide), R **	ST	3
West Fork Big Smoky	ST	2
Mule Creek **	ST	1+
Chemeketan	ST	1
Grand Prize Gulch *	ST	2+
Bowery *	ST	3
Little Boulder Creek, PG ***	ST	3
Frog Lake, PG	ST	3
Big Boulder Creek **	ST	2
French Creek	ST	3
Thompson Creek/Cinnabar	ST	3
Fivemile Creek, PG	ST	3
CS Custer Lookout?Ramey Creek, X ***	ST	5
Elevenmile Creek, PG	ST	3
East Mayfield/Yankee Fork *	ST	1+
Squaw Creek	ST	2
Squaw Creek	ATV	1
Buster Lake	ST	2+
Beef Pasture	ATV	1
Trealor Creek	ATV	3-
Kinnikinic Creek	ATV	2
Happy Hollow/Juliette Creek	ST	3
Ramshorn/Keystone Mountain ***	UTV	2
Lombard Trail **	UTV	2-

Day six again traverses some of the most spectacular terrain accessible by motorcycle, anywhere. It's 170+ miles of continuous fun with an elevated level of challenge - in terms of both riding and navigation. Fuel should not be an issue with Smiley Creek and Sawmill Station strategically located along the route. Somewhere north of 10 hours ought to suffice for soloists. A few hours more for teams. It's a longer day than you'd think just based on the mileage.

From the southern end of Big Smoky head north about 11 miles along Paradise Creek Trail (7070) to Snowslide Lakes. The first part of this is fast and flowing with just a bit of gnarl before Snowslide Lakes. After the pass at Paradise Peak you'll encounter what many will consider an introduction to "side hills of major concern" - a theme that will become much more prevalent in coming days. One of the reasons for starting D4 at Smoky Bar in 2020 was to give more teams an opportunity to see how far down it is off the side of the trail, in a couple of spots, in broad daylight. The good news is that it's only two switchbacks.

After the second switchback head down mile or so to the West Fork of Big Smoky (224), then southeast just a bit over two miles and look for an intersection on the left with Mule Creek Trail (198) which is not well-marked. Trail 198 is a riot (video), and will aptly punctuate a great morning of riding as you follow it up several miles to the divide between the Smoky Mountains and the Sawtooths and an intersection with Big Smoky Creek Trail (072).

From this intersection head north and follow the trail steeply downhill a few miles to an intersection with NFD 215. The small creek on your left is the origin of the mighty Salmon River. About 5 miles later you'll encounter ID 75. From here it's a short jaunt north to Smiley Creek Lodge where gas is available if needed.

From Smiley Creek there are a variety of ways east to Grand Prize Gulch. The Corrals ATV trail (7259) is the best. If you detour north to Smiley Creek it is not necessary to ride all the way back down the highway to rejoin the route at the base of Galena Pass. Instead feel free to head east on Valley Road to Pole Creek Cutoff and hit Corrals Trail there. It's about 4 miles further to a intersection with Grand Prize Gulch Trail (7112).

Follow 7112 uphill a few miles to the scenic view at the top of the pass. Continue downhill about 5 miles to the East Fork of the Salmon then another few miles further to NFD 120 near the Bowery Guard Station.

Note that an alternative trail, Bowery (7114), is available in this area. Since the main trail is currently closed in an easement dispute with a landowner, you'll have to take the alternative from the guard station, up and over Bowery. Turn right at 6Da5 and follow Germania Creek to East Fork Road to reconnect with the regular route.

From the Guard Station, follow the East Fork Road about 8 miles to an intersection with the Little Boulder Creek Trail (7682) on the left. This single track is one of the highlights of the Tour (video). Follow LBC (7682) about 4 miles to a clearing with a spectacular view of Castle and Merriman Peaks, then another 6 miles (7407) up and over a pass and down to the mining town of Livingston (video).

Little Boulder Creek. The view from the Challenge Point.

The next 5 miles (70669) climb steeply to the highest point of the Tour (10,420') atop Railroad Ridge where you'll want to pause to enjoy a vista that includes virtually all of the highest parts of Idaho and the spectacular Chinese Wall.

Proceed north 11 miles (70670, 7615, 7675, 2001) to French Creek where the trail narrows from dirt road, to jeep trail to single track as it descends down to the Salmon River. At the very bottom of French Creek, within sight of Hwy 75, the trail bears left to avoid private land near waypoint 6Dxyz43. Do not go through the gate to get to the road. Instead find the trail off to the left which climbs a side hill and descends toward a trailhead parking area. From the intersection with Hwy 75 head east about a mile to Old Sawmill Station where gas is available (24 x 7) along with supplies and some great sandwiches.

Railroad Ridge - the roof of the Tour. The motorcycle is on the Challenge Point.

From Old Sawmill Station, head west along 75 about 3 miles to a bridge which crosses the Salmon River on the right, The right of way on the north side of the bridge is private so head west another two and a half miles along 75 to a dirt road just the other side of a bridge that is a public right of way. Follow this back around to Thompson Creek Road (FS 040).

Head north along Thompson Creek Road (FS 040) about 10 miles to a trail on the left (161) near waypoint 6Dxyz51. This trail is not hard to miss, but you'll know you did if your start climbing steeply up a series of switchbacks. Follow 161 west about a mile and a half to Cinnabar Creek Trail (162). The last 1/4 of a mile up to Cinnabar ascends a steep meadow and the trail is a bit difficult to follow. The optimal path is marked by a series of rock cairns. Turn left (west) and follow the trail about a half mile to an intersection at a pass.

A very short distance to the west along trail 162 you'll encounter the D6 challenge section: Custer LO. This is a spectacular trail, and a must do at some point in your riding career, but one of the more airy and technical challenge sections on the Tour. Though short this eight mile CS will test your meddle - including your ability to deal with dizzying side hills. You must go all the way to the lookout, which requires some extra work, to complete the challenge section.

Why you should ride it. You'll never find a better view than from the top. It's one of my favorite places. Why you should not. It's a long way down in a few spots and some commitment is required to advance. Not advised for soloists. The ride out Ramey Creek is no joke either.

Continue west down Fivemile Creek to an intersection with Yankee Fork Road (FS 070). Turn right and head northeast about six miles to Elevenmile Creek.

Thompson Creek

Three member teams will turn right (west) and follow Elevenmile-Martin Creek (4148) and Mckay-Elevenmile to Squaw Creek. It's a bit of a steep climb up to the divide but three-member teams have plenty of hands to help each other near the top.

All others will continue another few miles along 070 to McKay Creek on the south (right). Just before the McKay Creek trailhead you'll encounter the East Mayfield/Yankee Fork trailhead on the north (left) side of the road. This bonus trail is an out and back to the Wilderness area border. It's fairly pleasant, very easy and not a long detour for those so inclined.

From the McKay Creek parking area follow a well-developed track about a mile as it turns into trail 151. Continue a short distance south to an intersection with Squaw Creek Trail (149) where the three-person variation rejoins the main route.

About three miles south along Squaw Creek, at Willow Patch meadow, the two and three member team routes divide again. One and two member teams will turn east (left), on Aspen Creek Tail (4152). Take trail 4152 east toward Buster Lake, then 4201 south toward Trealor Creek. Three member teams continue south to FS 40041 (Squaw Creek Road). Then back north, near 6Dz5, up 40045 (Trealor Creek Road), toward Trealor Creek Trail (4159).

The area near the Trealor Creek Trail trailhead is where all variations converge. Trealor Creek Trail is one of the worst beater ATV trails that bad dreams are capable of conjuring - though it does get better with elevation. Soloists follow this five miles up and over Buffalo Ridge and down to Bayhorse Lake, then down Bayhorse Creek Road about a mile to an intersection with a jeep road that ascends sharply to the left.

Two and three person teams take a slightly longer loop to the south around Spring Basin, Cabin Creek and Juliette Basin.

Thompson/Cinnabar Challenge Point.

From 6Dxyz62, where routes converge, head up the road past Little Bayhorse Lake to a hard left at waypoint 6Dxyz65 and past a spectacular rockslide. Continue east a few miles to the summit of Ramshorn Mountain and east a few more miles over Keystone Mountain to an intersection with the Keystone Gulch jeep road.

From here, ascend Keystone Gulch and hang a left, near waypoint 6Dxyz72, onto the Lombard ATV trail (4639). Continue northeast past Blue Mountain (video). Just a few miles outside of Challis, a mile or so below the pass north of Blue Mountain, the trail splits, near waypoint 6Dxyz77. The right fork descends to the State Park at Yankee Fork (a fee area). Take the left fork, right down the creek bed, a few miles into Challis.

Challis (5000'), at about trail mile 700, is about the same size as Arco (population 1200) and has about the same level of services. There are several motels, half a dozen or so eateries and plenty of choices for gas and supplies (The Village Square on U.S. 93, is particularly well-equipped for your TID needs: straps, gas jugs, tools, outdoor equipment - we even found 2 and 4 stroke motorcycle oil there). Ethanol-free gas is available at Kimble Oil and Brett's Automotive. The Challis Village Inn is our favorite place to stay in Challis but there are several other perfectly fine motels. Any of them will work.

You should know that the owners of the craft brewery in Challis have expressed unfriendly views concerning motorized recreation in public meetings. PBR is better for you anyway - and it mixes great with Pedialyte.

If time permits the Yankee Fork Interpretive Center (south of town at the intersection of US 93 and ID 75) is well worth taking the time to visit.

Please note that accommodations in Challis are generally unavailable during the Braun Brothers Reunion which will be held August 10 - 12 in 2023.

Ramshorn

D7 - Challis to Salmon (195 - 225 miles)

D& Profile

Pat's Creek, PG *	ST	3
Eddy Basin	ST	2
Darling-Castle Creek, PG **	ST	2+
Little West Fork *	ST	2
West Fork Morgan Creek, R *	ST	3
West Forks Lakes Cutoff **	ST	3+
Darling-Castle Creek, PG ***	ST	2+
Alder Creek, PG ***	ST	2+
Corral Creek	ST	2+
Corral Creek Spur	ST	1
Big Hat Creek	ATV	1
Ward Butte	ST	1+
Hat Creek Lakes, PG *	ST	3+
Big Hat Creek ***	ST	3+
North Fork Hat Creek	ST	2
MT1 **	ST	2+
MT2 **	ST	2
CS **	ST	3+
MT3 **	ST	2+

Day seven includes the second highest point of the Tour (Twin Peaks Lookout - 10,330') and about 70 miles of single track that is both very remote and continuously entertaining. Most will find this to be a relatively long day for the distance (a bit less than 200 miles). Twelve hours ought to suffice if the trail is clear (later in the season). Some of the trails on D7 are rarely ridden outside of the Tour of Idaho community. At the beginning of the season it could take two days to ride this section if it hasn't been sawed. There is no gas available between Challis and Salmon. In terms of difficulty, D7 is above average just because there is so much ST that will demand attention..

To begin, head west up Main Street a few blocks to 7th Street/Challis Creek Road on the north (right). Proceed north out of town five or so miles to an intersection with NP644 (Darling Creek Road) on the right. From this intersectiom it is about 12 miles along Challis Creek, Sleeping Deer and Twin Peaks Jeep roads to the summit of Twin Peaks Lookout (video). Enjoy the view. Be sure to visit with the person in the lookout (unless you are there before dawn). They know about the Tour and generally have great stories to tell.

On the descent from Twin Peaks head back down to Challis Creek Road and look for Pats Creek (40173) on the left side of the road near the intersection of Challis Creek and Valley Creek, not far from the houses you first pass on the way down.

Turn left (north) and follow the Eddy Creek/Camas Trail (4134) a few miles to Eddy Basin. Turn right on trail 4145 and head uphill a few miles to a sharp right turn (at 5Dxyz19) that's easy to miss. Head southeast as the trail climbs to a spectacular view of Eddy Basin. Continue to an intersection with Trail 4144 which descends to a picnic area at the top of road 176.

Follow this road downhill a few miles to an intersection with road 057 and turn left. Follow 057 northwest about 3/4 of a mile to the West Fork of Morgan Creek Trail (4143).

Twin Peaks.

Furnace Creek Challenge Point

Once you head up West Fork trail you are entering one of the most remote single track areas you'll visit on a motorcycle in the United States. Trail 4143 has wonderful views and is of only moderate difficulty (except for a few short technical sections), but it is smack dab in the middle of nowhere. Don't ride off a side hill or break down. It's a long walk out, and most days no one is coming up the trail except another Tour of Idaho rider.

Follow Trail 4143 up Morgan Creek for about 3 miles to an intersection with trail 4234. Continue another few miles past West Fork Lakes - climbing steeply to the scenic headlands above Morgan Creek/Furnace Creek and an intersection with Trail 4138 which loops back to the east. The next few miles are outrageously fun. A few years ago I rode through a herd of at least 50 elk here.

As 4138 descends from the ridge top it intersects Lick Creek Trail (4142) on the right. Continue northwest (left) on 4138 from this intersection and around the steep slopes above the headwaters of Furnace Creek. After another 1.5 miles you'll encounter the actual Furnace Creek on the right (west).

Turn right and continue northeast up Furnace Creek over a divide west of Van Horn Peak (9616') and an intersection with Trail 4139 which descends to the right. Then continue on Trail 4138 a mile or so to the challenge point a pictured below.

It's a really good idea to locate this challenge point then get off your bike and then look around. The trail ahead may not go where you think that it should and more than one person has nearly ridden off a cliff here. Go west, young man.

Descend to the western flanks of Wood's Peak and contour around a few miles to an intersection with Trail 4135 (Black-Alder Creek). After that it's a very pleasant cruise down Alder Creek to Morgan Creek Road (055).

At the base of Alder Creek turn right (south) on 055 and head a few miles to trail Trail 8360 (Corral Creek-Hat Creek) on the left. Follow Corral Creek - Hat Creek Trail north a mile or so waypoint 5Dxyz27 where routes diverge. Three member teams will follow 8360 north a few miles to an intersection with Road 40129. From this point continue north and east a few bumpy miles to an intersection with 6093.

Soloists and two member teams go northeast a few miles up Corral Creek Spur trail to Ward Butte and Hat Creek Trail (6093), then north a few miles to an intersection with 8360, where the routes again merge.

Challenge point view. It's a really good idea to locate this spot and stop. The trail does not go where you may think that it does.

At the intersection of 8360 and 6093, follow 6093 north a few miles to Hat Creek Lakes. Hat Creek Lakes and surroundings are spectacular - one of my favorite places along the entire Tour. There is a short 50 yard section climbing out of the lakes toward Taylor Mountain Pass that will take some time and effort for soloists.

Alder Creek Challenge Point

After the descent from the pass east of Taylor Mountain, continue generally north a mile or so miles to an intersection with trail 6092 (North Fork Hat Creek). A short (easy) bonus section here takes up to Iron lake and back. Descend 6092 a few miles until it turns into an ATV/Jeep road (60033), and follow this east, then south to Peel Tree-Hat Creek Road (60083)

At this point a bonus loop is available. It's perhaps the best bonus of the entire Tour - in terms of views anyway - and the riding is dead easy. The problem is that it'll delay your arrival in Salmon by 30 minutes or so. For those so inclined, head uphill along Peel Tree-Hat Creek (FS083) and Sheephorn Lookout (FS050). Though this lookout is not as high up in the troposphere as others you've already visited, the view back towards Taylor Mountain is more than worth the few miles of wear and tear to get there.

The main Tour route follows Peel Tee-Hat Creek/Hat Creek Road downhill about 6 miles to US 93. Disable PLB tracking when you reach US 93.

The second part of D7 is all mystery route. You will be provided with directions before you leave Challis. These directions will be in the form of maps, trail/road numbers, latitude and longitude coordinates and written instructions. When you reach Hwy 93 at the base of Hat Creek Road, you are roughly half way to Salmon. Most of what lies ahead is remote and seldom ridden. It would be difficult in the dark, or in bad weather.

The CS for the day is in the mystery section. It's a great CS. It's not really that difficult, and many will assume, once they get a look at the route on the map, that it's an automatic.

I suspect, however, that you'll find it tiring on a loaded bike. There are also several bonus trails in the mystery section and they are all worth doing - if you have the time.

Salmon is the second largest city you'll encounter along the Tour. Although I suspect that you'll arrive late on the evening of D7, you'll have a half day on D8 to take advantage of what Salmon has to offer: a motorcycle shop, numerous outdoor supply stores, restaurants and bars. The grocery store has everything (deals on Pedialyte!). There's even a hospital. There are several fine motels in Salmon and we've had good luck with each of them. In terms of food, most everything closes by 9 pm, so get there early if you expect to eat anything other than vending machine snacks in your motel room.

Wild Side Sports is the last place along the Tour you'll be able to general bike supplies (though this is more of an ATV dealer). I recommend contacting them in advance if you wish to schedule a service or purchase a particular product.

You'll need to make sure that you schedule yout time in Salmon so that you are on the road no later than early afteroon on D8. Be sure to celebrate - you are past the halfway to Sundance.

Taylor Mountain Pass.

D8 - Salmon to North Fork (105 - 115 miles)

D8 Profile

Moose Creek *	ST	2
Hornet Creek *	ST	2+

Day eight is short, by Tour standards, but still over 100 miles. Don't loiter in Salmon too late! The first part of the day is spent on pleasant Jeep roads with views. A few single tracks later and you'll find yourself in historic Leesburg. After that it's a 50-mile jaunt down Panther Creek and another 26 miles up the Salmon River Road to North Fork - your destination.

Count on five to six trail hours if sawing is required (not uncommon). Moose Creek and Hornet creek are not ridden a lot and sawing may well be a major issue in early season. There is no gas available between Salmon and North Fork.

Head north out of Salmon on Hwy 93 about 3.5 miles to the fairgrounds on the left. Turn west and head up Stormy Creek Road (FS 023) about 11 miles to FS 020 on the left. A few miles south along 020 leads to the Wallace Lake view (a challenge point).

From the Wallace Lake overlook, backtrack just a bit, then follow a series of quad trails and logging roads north back to Stormy Peak Road. Head north to Moose Creek Trail (6068), and follow this several miles west and south to FS 433. Follow this east a few miles to an intersection with Jureano Mountain Road (60300) and turn right (south). About a mile down this road look for the Hornet Creek Trail (6067) on the right. Follow this several miles west to Moose Creek Road (FS 061).

Head southeast to rejoin Jureano Mountain Road, then follow this to Arnett Road (60197) and down to historic Leesburg. Leesburg is worth checking out.

From Leesburg take Napias Creek Road (FS 242) southwest a bit over five miles to an intersection with Phelan Creek (FS 098) on the left. Here the route divides with one and two-person teams allowed to continue down Napias Creek to an intersection with Panther Creek Road (FS 055) a few miles later. Three-person teams will take Phelan Creek (098) as it winds its way several miles to the headwaters of Moccasin Creek near the top of Deep Creek Ridge. From there you'll turn right (west) onto Deep Creek Road (FS 101) and follow it 11 miles down to Panther Creek Road.

The 20 miles north along Panther Creek (055) to the Salmon River Road (030) is among the most hazardous of the Tour. You should assume that a speeding Subaru with goats tied to the roof is coming at you in an uncontrolled 4-wheel drift around every corner. Their brakes probably don't work either.

From the intersection of 055 and 030 it's 26 miles to North Fork. Your destination is The Village at North Fork. You'll be spending two nights there, and you'll like them both. Although there are other facilities in the area, The Village at North Fork is well-established and values Tour riders. If you get to North Fork and the store is boarded up, it means that the world has come to an end while you were out in the woods. Great pizza just up the road too. Ask at the store.

D9 - North Fork Loop (145 miles)

D9 Profile

Butcher Knife Ridge **	ST	1+
Divide Trail **	ST	2+
CS Ditch Creek/Divide, PG **	ST	4
Ditch Creek (bonus) **	ST	2
Twin Creek Ridge Trail **	ST	1
Divide Trail	ST	2
Keystone Gulch	ST	1
Thee Mlle Ridge **	ST	1+
Divide Trail **	ST	2
Powder Gulch *	ST	2
Silverleads Ridge, PG **	ST	2+
Stein Mountain, PG ***	ST	3
Divide Trail	ST	2
Sheep Creek, PG **	ST	2+

Day nine is another short one, by Tour standards, but still 145 miles - of great singletrack and fast transfer sections. It will take longer than you think. There is no gas available anywhere other than North Fork. Count on eight to ten trail hours if sawing is required (not uncommon). Some of the D9 trails north of North Fork are not ridden a whole lot - and I have never gotten across any of them without some sawing - even late in the season. The final set of trails west of Stein Mountain close in early September.

Start your day by heading back west out of North Fork along NFD 030 8 miles to an intersection with Sage Creek Road (NFD 005) on the right (north). Up near the top, there is a short out and back to Ulysses Mountain LO (9Dxyz5).

You'll continue north and west and north along FS 055, 035 (Indian Peak) and 347 (Indian Peak Summit). From the summit of Indian Peak, you'll follow East Indian Peak (348) east, then north, to Butcher Knife Ridge (6110). The D9 singletrack buffet begins here. You'll enjoy the next hundred miles.

Head north on Butcher Knife Ridge about five miles to the Divide Trail (6106). Turn right, then go several miles north, then east, to Axe Park Cutoff Trail (6107). Note: It is extremely easy to confuse Axe Park Cutoff Trail with Hughes Creek Trail (6113) as the former is poorly marked and and difficult to find, while the latter is very well-traveled by motorcycles - despite being a non-motorized trail.

At this point there is a bonus trail - Ditch Creek. It's the same as the Challenge Section, but ridden downhill instead of up. It's a very cool trail, but bumpy. Splendid views abound, up high.

Butcher Knife Ridge.

Sheep Creek

All others will continue past Axe Park, along the motorized section of Hughes Creek Trail, several pleasant miles to the Hughes Creek trailhead. From the Hughes Creek trailhead, it's a few miles southeast along Hughes Creek Road (091) to an intersection with Ditch Creek Road (089) on the left (northeast). Follow this a few miles north Granite Mountain Road (092).

Just before you head to Granite Mountain Lookout you'll encounter the D9 Challenge Section, Ditch Creek Trail (6112), which leads back up to the Divide Trail. Head uphill along Ditch Creek for a few miles to Allan Lake, then follow switchbacks up to an airy ridge. Why you should ride it. More spectacular singletrack! Why you should not. This one is a gnarly pup on an otherwise pleasant day. It's recommended that you visit the Granite Mountain CP before heading up Ditch Creek, should you choose to do this CS. It's difficult to obtain otherwise.

For all others, there is a short out and back to the Granite Mountain LO, then follow Granite Mountain Road (60092) nearly all the way down to Hwy 93. Shortly before the highway, you'll encounter FS 449 on the left. Take it, generally north, many miles to the Twin Creek Ridge trail (6109). Twin Creek Ridge is one of the best trails anywhere.

Follow 6109 uphill for several miles back to the Divide Trail, then follow the DIvide Trail north to the top of Lost Trail ski area. Take a road around the south side of the slopes to the base area. From there, cross Hwy 93 and head east along Highway 43 almost to Chief Joseph . Locate Anderson Mountain Road (60081) on the left (south). Follow this south several miles south to the singletrack CDT.

Just beyond the point where the singletrack CDT starts, there is a bonus section available. I highly recommended this one, the Keystone Gulch/Three Mile Ridge loop. Although longer than the section of trail that it replaces, this loop is very much worth riding, if time permits.

Either option leads to a fun section of the CDT, just east of 9Dxyz67. Follow this for several miles to Big Hole Pass.

From Big Hole Pass, head generally west and downhill along Lick Creek Road (078) several miles to 9Dxyz75 - Powder Gulch Trail. Powder Gulch, which leads over a divide to Sheep Creek, will test your navigational meddle.

Once over the top of the Lick/Sheep Creek divide and down into Sheep Creek, turn left and head west down Sheep Creek Trail (6126) to Sheep Creek-Silverleads Road, on the left (south). Follow this uphill several miles to a divide near 9Dxyz98. This is the beginning of the Silverleads Ridge Trail (6134). Follow this uphill and east to Stein Mountain Trail (6132). Stein Mountain is very steep - rising over a thousand feet in a very short distance. The trail is mostly easy to follow, and yes, it really does go up there.

A challenge point awaits at the top at the Stein Mountain lookout.

Head east from Stein Mountain along a jeep road (071) to FS 256, on the left. Follow this downhill to the CDT (Sheep Creek Trail 6129). Follow 6129 north several miles to an abandoned cabin in Bradley Gulch (a Challenge Point), then backtrack a bit and ascend the southern flank of Eagle Mountain, increasingly high above Sheep Creek, on Sheep Creek Trail (6126).

You'll find sections of 6126 invigorating. I once encountered a bear right in the middle of the biggest sidehill. Fortunately he was uninterested in becoming acquainted, and released himself downhill into Sheep Creek on his own recognizance.

Sheep Creek Trail leads back to the southern exit of Powder Gulch Trail. From here, follow the trail, then road, out to Hwy 93. Once on the pavement, it's a mellow cruise back to North Fork.

The Village at North Fork is, again, your stop for the night. Get to bed early - D10 is a beater.

Stein Mountain Trail

D10 - North Fork to Elk City/Lowell (255 - 265 miles)

D10 Profile

Henderson Ridge **	ST	3-
Divide Trail, PG *	ST	3-
CS Marlin Spring, PG *	ST	5-
505 Trail	ATV	2
Anderson Butte Trail	ATV	2

Day ten, in a technical sense, is one of the easiest days of the Tour. It's long, but the major difficulties are all right at the beginning. Budget ten hours to Elk City, and another 90 minutes to Lowell. The biggest issue with D10 is that it contains one of the two longest gas-less stretches of the Tour - about 210 miles (depending on the exact route taken). In fact there is exactly one place for gas in the next 425+ miles, and that is Elk City. Your Giant Loop fuel bags will prove their value in the next two days. Many years of bitter experience have taught us that dirt bikes make particularly poor wheelbarrows when deployed along the Darby-Elk City Road. You'd be amazed at how few people travel that road, when you are out of fuel.

D10 has numerous alternate (purple on the map) routes. This is because fires almost annually close areas around Elk City. That being the case, alternative routes are mapped out for you in advance. At least one of these generally works - though all are a good deal longer than the standard route.

There is little to no cellphone service from most carriers between North Fork and Superior, MT (the end of D11). There is WiFi at the Elk City Post Office and the Three RIvers, in Lowell. Most cellphones will work on the higher ridges along the Magruder Road (D10), and near Walde LO (D11). Beyond that, you'll need to rely on you PLB and texting to communicate.

Head west out of North Fork along NFD 030 about 10 miles to an intersection with Indian Creek Road (NFD 036) on the right (north).

Magruder Road

Head north about six miles until the Jeep road ends at a creek crossing. As improbable as it appears early in the season, the trail does, in fact, continue on the other side of the creek - albeit as an ATV trail. About a mile and a half further north the ATV trail crosses Corral Creek (which comes in from the right). Shortly thereafte,r the route ascends through a few switchbacks and turns into singletrack. It's a long, steep (1000' per mile) three-mile climb up Henderson Ridge (6141) to the Divide Trail.

Henderson Ridge is not only steep, but it's littered with deadfall from a catastrophic fire a few years ago. There is a trail there, but at times it can be difficult to follow. If you absolutely cannot get through you may backtrack to alternate "a" and head east to Butcher Knife Ridge and pick up the DIvide Trail there.

Turn left (west) on the Divide Trail (6106) and head west a few miles to Irishman's Rock. Here soloists may elect take a shortcut down Mine Creek Road and Hughes Creek Road to the West Fork Highway (473). This shortcut leaves out some nice singletrack but does cut the distance to Elk City considerably. For solo riders, who are hardest-pressed to carry supplemental fuel, this is the option.

A bit further west and south along Divide Trail, two and three-member teams will encounter the D7 Challenge, Marlin Springs Trail (6069). It's a huckleberry.

Why you should ride it. Because you are the greatest rider no one has ever heard of and you are going to prove that the Tour isn't all that. Why you should not. You'll be there a while. Although this trail has been cleared and rerouted in the past few years, the last time I rode it, it was a bear.

Others will continue south and west along Divide Trail a few more miles to an intersection with Spring Creek Road (038). It's a little bumpy towards the end, but that section is short.

Head north to on Spring Creek Road to NFD 044 near Beartrap Ridge (8303'). A bit north of this is Blue Nose Lookout (8677'). Follow NFD 044 north 5.5 miles to Horse Creek Pass (7400') on the Idaho-Montana border. Turn right (north) and head downhill along Beaver Creek 10 or so miles to West Fork Highway (473), which is paved. From the intersection of NFD044 to Nez Perce Pass you are in Montana.

Turn east (right) onto 473 and follow it generally north for several miles past the community of Alta to mile-marker 26 (just south of Painted Rocks Reservoir). Turn left (west) onto NFD 5660 (Coal Creek Road) and follow it past some homes (please respect the privacy of these homeowners and take it easy while riding the right of way through their properties) for about a mile to an intersection with NFD 5658 on the right. Turn right at this intersection and go several miles as Upper Coal Creek Road skirts the south and west shores of Painted Rocks Reservoir on a scenic ridge high above the waters.

Eventually the road descends into a valley and intersects with NFD 362. Turn left on NFD 362 and follow it a short distance to the first road that veers off to the right. Follow a series of well-marked roads 6 miles up to Tough Creek Saddle. From Tough Creek Saddle follow the road the goes north then west descending steeply down to the Nez Perce Road.

Henderson Ridge

Bald Mountain D10 Challenge Section

You are beginning a trek through the heart of the largest contiguous wilderness area in the lower 48 states - the Frank Church. Head west on Nez Perce (also know as the Darby-Elk City Road) to Nez Perce Pass (6597'). This pass marks the approximate halfway point of the Tour of Idaho. Go west 15 miles downhill to the Selway River, then another 5 miles to the Magruder Crossing Campground and an intersection with NFD 6223 on the north (right). Go left (south) continuing along the Nez Perce Road and the Magruder Corridor. The road climbs a long grade 5 miles to Kim Creek Saddle (6000'). Continue a few more miles to Salmon Mountain (8228').

Salmon Mountain Lookout contains a bonus Challenge Point - but you have to hike to get there. The Salmon Mountail Trail (FST 705) is a 1.2 mike trek that gains about 700 feet. If any part of the Tour is closed by fire, or you've made a riding or navigational error, this is a relatively easy way to make up a CP.

Continue along the Nez Perce/Magruder Corridor/Darby-Elk City Road (video) 40 miles, generally west, to Dry Saddle. There is a short out and back near here to Burnt Knob Lookout (8196'). After this descend steeply into Poet Creek then trek an interminable number of miles along the world's most dangerous dirt road looking for an ATV trail (505) that departs the road north less than a mile from Mountain Meadows.

The 505/835 ATV trail network is one of the better ones along the Tour. Follow the 505 north several miles to Soda Creek Point. Continue as the trail gradually follows a series of switchbacks down the mountain to Red River and FS 234, Hot Springs Road (note: Red River Hot Springs is 2.5 miles northeast along the road 234 at this point. There are supplies there but no gas pumps.

Turn left and head southwest on FS 234 a mile or so to an intersection with Divide Road (FS 423). Turn right and head west then north a few miles to an intersection with the 505 ATV Trail near Black Hawk Mountain (video).

Until 2016, the Tour continued past Black Hawk Mountain directly to Lowell. Unfortunately the only gas station in Lowell is now closed. That being the case, you'll probably have to take the 25-mile detour west into Elk City for gas. The network of roads, single track trails, ATV trails and goat trails around Elk City is a complex maze. I've ridden these trails dozens of times and I still have trouble in places. That's because there are trails literally going everywhere - often within a few feet of each other. In places there will be a road, an ATV trail and a single track all going in the same direction a few yards apart. The best route in and out of Elk city is the regular route shown on the map.

Elk City is a pretty remarkable place. It's remote, and as such, is well-stocked in order to keep the locals from having to make the horrendous drive to the nearest town. You'll find gas, food and some supplies if you look around. You'll want to take on as much gas as you can carry at Elk City because it's 225+ miles to the next gas along the Tour route. You are free to stay in Elk City, instead of Lowell, if you choose. I've done it both ways. If you choose Elk City, try the Elk City Hotel.

After Elk City, you'll ride to Anderson Butte. There is a bonus trail in this part of the route. After this go northwest 10 or so miles along the Anderson Butte Recreational Trail (835) to NFD 443 (Note: There is a right turn just north of Anderson Butte that is not completely obvious). Continue north on NFD 443 a short distance to an intersection with NFD 464 on the west (left). Turn east (right) and continue along NFD 443 another 6 miles until the road narrows near Falls Point. Here the road takes an amazing 3800' plunge in 7 miles to Selway Falls. Once in the valley follow the Selway River downstream a mile or so to a bridge crossing. On the other side of the bridge turn northeast (left) and follow the Selway Road downstream some 14 miles to Lowell.

Note: Falls Point road is closed a lot. It's the quickest and shortest way from Elk CIty to Lowell, but the other variations will all work.

Lowell is a small community with a motel and a restaurant. As of 2016 the gas station/store (Cougar Station) is closed. The Wilderness Inn and Three Rivers Resort are your options for lodging.

Lowell is the lowest elevation of the Tour at 1450'.

D11 - Lowell to Superior/St. Regis (200 - 250 miles)

Pete King Ridge *	ATV	1
Pete King Creek *	ST	2
Fish Butte, R **	ST	4
Fish Butte	ATV	1
Sherman Creek, R *	ST	4/3
Fish Creek, R *	ST	3+
Ant Hill	ST	5/3
Windy Ridge **	ST	3
Windy Bill *	ST	3
Raspberry	ST	3
Marten	ATV	1
Switchback Hill/Scurvy Mountain	ST	4/3
Junction Mountain	ST	3
Weitas Creek *	ST	2
Lunde Ridge/Rock Garden *	ST	4/3
Pot Mountain Ridge *	ST	4
Elizabeth Mountain	ST	3

Note: dual ratings indicated a significant difference in difficulty between direction traveled, generally up vs down.

Pete King Trail

Day eleven is high adventure - and your last really long day. You'll want to get an early start, as the shortest distance to Superior is bout 200 miles. Much of D11 is spent on single track trail that, though mostly moderate, is relatively slow going. No fuel is readily available anywhere between Elk CIty and Superior, but there are numerous campgrounds along the route that are normally full of ATVs, UTVs and motorcycles, during Tour season.

From Lowell, go east on Highway 12 about 2 miles to Pete King Creek. Head up the creek for about a mile where the routes diverge for the first time on D8. Two and three-member teams will continue up Pete King Creek to FS 101. Soloists are allowed to turn right (east) and climb steeply along an ATV trail for several miles to Pete King Ridge and an eventual intersection with FS 460. Follow 460 for a few miles west toward Higgins Hump then take FS 5515 a few miles north to Fan Saddle and an intersection with FS 101.

After a short side trip to Walde Lookout (the challenge point is up the ladder and in the tower), continue north several miles along FS 101 to Canyon Junction.

From Canyon Junction you have your choice or routes to take. All Tour route options are marked on the D11 100K map, in black. You may take any of these routes - though some are transfer sections and do not add to your point totals. There are 12 CPs, but no CS. One, two and three member teams will all have a different number of trails and CPs required. Refer to the 2022 CP page.

Not all of the trails available to you between Canyon Junction and Cedars are equal. Some are long, some are short, some are difficult and some are easy. Some of the CPs are much easier to get to than others. It's up to you to plan and execute the best route for you through this area. All of the trails are of very high quality. It's difficult to go wrong.

To obtain credit for riding a trail, you must ride the entire section of the trail marked with a letter designation (e.g., "b"). Some trails are divided into multiple sections and you may obtain more than one point for the same trail by riding the different sections. You may ride a trail in either direction, trail loops in either direction, or even do out and backs as long as you complete each section. You really have complete freedom to plan a route through the middle of the day.

There are 23 optional routes between Canyon Junction and The Cedars The following routes are worth 1 point each: b, c, e, f, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, w. Routes a, d, g, h, t, u, v are allowed transfer sections. Solo riders must complete routes adding to a minimum of six points, two member teams must accumulate a minimum of seven points, and three member teams a minimum of eight points. Any additional bonus sections ridden count as true bonus sections adding to your cumulative total.

There are 12 CP's, descriptively named in the waypoint file. To earn a CP, you must, in general, avoid "poaching," i.e., riding along a jeep road to access that CP, unless that's the only option. Castle Butte LO, for instance, may only be approached by a jeep road. But Fish Butte, which may be reached by a jeep road, also has single track trails, at least one of which you must ride, either to or from the CP if you are going to claim it.

Fish Butte Trail

Scurvy LO

Sawing will be an issue on some of these trails - which are lightly ridden.

All route options converge near Moose Creek Road (FS 250) just south of The Cedars campground (this is a good place to scrounge for fuel). From The Cedars, take FS 250 up over the divide at Hoodoo Pass and about another 40 miles to Superior, MT. You may stay in either Superior or St. Regis, though I recommend Superior.

Superior is a good-sized little town with many motels and restaurants. You'll probably be getting in pretty late, so be sure to let them know that where ever you are staying.

Congrats! Once you reach Superior, the worst is almost over. D12, though more involved than the distance might suggest, is mostly a blast. Some of the D12 trails are among our personal favorites.

D12 - Superior/St. Regis to Wallace (175 miles)

MT1, PG **	ST	3
MT2, PG **	ST	3
MT3, PG ***	ST	3
MT4 S R **	ST	4
MT4	ATV	1
MT6, PG *	ST	3
MT7	ATV	1
MT8	ST	3
MT9	ST	3
MT10	ST	3
MT11	ST	3
MT12	ATV	1
MT13	ATV	1
MT14	ST	3
CS	ST	4+
MT15	ST	3
MT16	ST	3
MT17	ST	3
MT18	ATV	3

Day twelve is your last hard day. It's also a day for another early start as you'll want to arrive in Wallace, the penultimate daily destination and northernmost "big city" on the Tour, early enough to enjoy the hospitality of Donna and her staff at the Ryan Hotel. You'll be celebrating your impending Tour of Idaho finish with a nice meal at any of a dozen splendid eateries if you make it to Wallace without incident. Twelve hours ought to do it.

D12 is another mystery day once you leave St. Regis.You will receive trail directions before you depart Superior/St. Regis on the morning of D12. No map and no waypoints will be made available.

You must turn off public tracking before leaving St. Regis, and leave it off until D13.

D12 contains a lot of single track, with a few fast transfer sections. Most of the trails are moderate in difficulty but very, very scenic. There is no gas available anywhere in the 175 miles between St Regis and Wallace. There are CP's to be acquired, several bonus sections, and a CS, all TBA.

The only pressing D12 issue is that your tires, among other things, are likely toast at this point. The number of teams historically experiencing tire or mechanical failure on D12 is large.

Wallace, at the end of D12, is a historic mining town with a population of about 1000. It's generally brimming with tourists and there are a variety of accommodations available. It's one of the best towns along the entire Tour in which to spend some time. We recommend the Ryan Hotel for accommodations where Donna and her staff will treat you right. Ethanol-free gas is available at Beamis Hi Co.

Congrats, you are almost done!

D13 - Wallace to Sundance Mountain (180 miles)

D10 profile

Graham Ridge	ST	1
Graham Creek	ST	2
CS Independence Creek, PG *	ST	3
Bunco Pass	ATV	1

Day thirteen - your last day on the Tour. Gas, food and water are not a problem as there are frequent highway crossings and small towns all along the way. It's the easiest day of the Tour. Mostly it's a long transfer section to get you to Sundance Mountain and the Selkirks (a beautiful mountain range virtually unknown beyond the area). About the only harp out of tune in the heavenly orchestra is that it's not overly difficult to get lost in maze after maze of logging roads you'll encounter. Though not difficult, the riding is scenic, relaxing and enjoyable. It's a good last day. Plan on eight hours to Sundance and a bit more to return to your shuttle in Priest River.

From downtown Wallace, take 6th street north under I-90 to 9-mile Road/NFD 456 and follow it north. After three miles 456 (which is paved) heads uphill through a series of curves while 9-mile Road veers left and becomes dirt. Continue along 9-mile Road a short distance as it ascends through a series of switchbacks to an intersection with NFD 424. Turn west (left) on NFD 424 and follow it 16 miles as it winds northwest to Moon Saddle. Your GPS track will prove invaluable in keeping you on route through the maze of logging roads that criss-cross this area. From Moon Saddle (4669') head west (left) a short distance and find Graham Ridge Trail (17) which heads west a short distance to the top of Graham Creek Trail (33). Follow Graham Creek downhill and north about 5 miles as it descends to the Coeur D'Alene River Road (NFD 9).

Proceed east (right) on NFD 9 for a few miles to a river crossing. Immediately on the north side of the bridge you'll encounter NFD 503 (Old River Road - County 1 C) on the left. Head west along this road and look almost immediately for an intersection with NFD 207 (Brown Creek Road). Go northwest a few miles to Brown Creek Saddle, then north a few more miles to along FS 993 to Grizzly Ridge.

Continue north along Grizzly Ridge Road (NFD 260), then to Flat Creek Saddle and Grassy Mountain, then north on NFD 265 to Spyglass Peak Lookout. The road then heads west a few miles to Big Meadows and the Magee Historic Site - a nice spot to rest for a bit. From here you may turn right (north) and follow NFD 6310 a few miles to the challenge section for D13, the Independence Creek Trail.

Why you should ride it. One of the easier challenge sections. All the way up north guys love it. Why you should not. This trail is an example of what happens when surrounding trails are closed - funneling a lot of traffic onto one trail. Independence Creek is rutted, beat to death in spots and less than great except for a really spectacular climb near it's end.

Independence Creek

Hoodoo Mountain - Challenge Point view

For those staying on the main route it continues west along NFD 534, the Cascade Magee Road, to Hamilton Creek/Hamilton Mountain Road (436) on the right (north). Follow this 7+ miles to Crooked Ridge Road (258), then head north a few miles to Bunco Road (332).

Follow Bunco Rd. (NFD 332) across Prospect Peak. Just beyond here, and just at the point Bunco Road drops into the valley to the west, the routes diverge for one last time. Please note that the Bunco Pass ATV trail closes on 9/5 and after that everyone follows the same route down to Bunco Corners.

From Bunco Corners turn north (right) on Goodhopper Road and proceed 0.5 miles to Belmont Road. Turn west (left) on Belmont and proceed a mile to N. Lewellen Creek road 1.5 miles to SR 54. Turn left (west) and proceed three miles to an intersection with US 95. Proceed across 95 to the town of Athol - a great place for a brief lunch and fuel before the last push north. The last time I was there the Thai food in the gas station was outstanding.

Head west out of Athol on Watkins Ave./SR 54. Go 1.5 miles to an intersection with North Clagstone Road on the north (right). Take Clagstone Road north and east 10 miles to an intersection with Spirit Lake Cutoff. Head west (straight) through this intersection and continue along Clagstone Road another 1.5 miles to an intersection with Blanchard Cutoff Road. Turn west (right) and follow this road a little less than a mile to NFD 2550 Road on the north (right). This is the second dirt road on the right and is marked with a sign that has an anvil on it.

This is the heart of Ruby Ridge country and it would be best if you didn't get lost. That tune that keeps running through your head, the one that you can't quite place - it's Dueling Banjos.

Follow NFD 2550 as it winds it's way 7.5 miles up to the summit of Hoodoo Mountain (4665') which is the first challenge point of the day. You'll have to backtrack about a mile from the summit to find the continuation of NFD 2550 that descends the north side of the mountain to Priest River. Follow NFD 2550 down some 15 miles to an intersection with Dufort Road on the south side of the Pend Oreille River. Follow this road west 3 miles along the southern bank of the Pend Oreille to a bridge that crosses the river north to the town of Priest River.

Priest River is the best place to have a shuttle waiting. It's also the the last chance for gas before the final sprint into the heart of the Selkirks. Mitchell's Express has ethanol-free gas.

Take US 2 east out of the town of Priest River. About a mile east of town look for an intersection with East Side Road (W43) on the north (left) side of the highway. Proceed north 12 miles to an intersection with W39 (East River Road). Turn north (right) and proceed 11 miles toward Coolin. About a mile or so south of Coolin, look for the Sundance Mountain Road on the right (east).

Follow this route uphill a few miles to an intersection with 207. Take this jeep road steeply uphill a few miles to the majestic Sundance Mountain Lookout. Enjoy the splendid views of the Selkirks and Priest Lake. You've made it. Your last challenge point of the Tour is in the tower.

Sundance Mountain

If you get to Sundance early enough it's not a bad ride up to the original end of Tour north of Upper Priest Lake, then back down the west side of the lake back to Priest River. This loop, however, adds another 80 miles to the end of the day.

The Eagle's Nest Motel is the best inexpensive lodging near the end of the Tour. There are several places in Coolin that are very nice as well. The Travel America RV Park in Sagle (about 20 miles east) is the best place near the end of the Tour to park a rig that you plan on leaving for a week plus.If you are doing a self-shuttle, this is your best bet.

Selkirk Crest

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