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The
Tour of Idaho (T1)
  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.
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.
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).  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) 
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 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.
D2 - Pocatello to Arco (220 - 250 miles) 
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 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.
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.
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) 
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.
D4 - Leadore to Mackay (200 - 240 miles) 
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) 
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.  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. |
