Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes

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Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes
Bike trail using former railway trestle and swing bridge over Lake Coeur d'Alene.jpg
Crossing Lake Coeur d'Alene on the Chatcolet Bridge, a long wooden trestle bridge with a 1921-built, former-swing-span truss bridge section
Length73 miles (117 km)
Location Northern Idaho, U.S.
EstablishedMarch 2004 (2004-03)
Designation Idaho state park
Trailheads Mullan (east); Plummer (west) 47°30′35″N116°32′13″W / 47.50972°N 116.53694°W / 47.50972; -116.53694
Use Biking, inline skating, hiking
Highest point3,280 ft (1,000 m) (Mullan)
Lowest point2,200 ft (670 m) (Harrison)
DifficultyEasy
SeasonYear-round
Sights Silver Valley, Lake Coeur d'Alene,
Heyburn State Park, Palouse
Surface Asphalt
Maintained by Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation
Website Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes

The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes is a rail trail in the northwest United States, in northern Idaho. It follows the former Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way from Mullan, a mountain mining town near the Montana border, westward to Plummer, a town on the prairie near the Washington border. [1] [2] Generally following the Coeur d'Alene River, the rail line was abandoned in 1991, [3] and the trail officially opened in March 2004. [4]

Contents

Trail route

The trail's 73-mile (117 km) route winds through the mountainous terrain of historic Silver Valley, into the chain lakes region, along the shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene, over the Chatcolet Bridge to Heyburn State Park, and concludes with a climb to the northern Palouse prairie.

Trail users can continue along a bike path in Washington that leads to Spokane. The eastern half of the trail in Shoshone County has Interstate 90 nearby. In Kootenai County, I-90 leaves the river to head over Fourth of July Summit to the lake's north shore and the city of Coeur d'Alene, while the river and trail descends southwest toward Harrison, closer to State Highway 3.

USA Idaho location map.svg
Blue pog.svg
Mullan
Red pog.svg
Plummer
Location of trailheads in Idaho

Environmental impact

The trail is not only a recreational facility, but also a solution to environmental problems left behind by Idaho's mining industry. Silver, lead, and zinc were discovered in the valley around 1884, and a rail line was built to access the mines around 1888. [1] Much of the rock in the railbed was either waste rock from mines, or tailings containing heavy metals. The railbed was also contaminated with spillage from passing trains. [5]

To remedy these environmental problems, the Union Pacific Railroad, U.S. government, the State of Idaho, and the Coeur d'Alene Tribe partnered to build a trail. [6] The thick asphalt and the gravel barriers on the sides of the trail serve as a permanent cap to isolate contaminants from the surrounding environment. A portion of the trail is within the Coeur d'Alene Reservation, and an approximately 15-mile (24 km) section of the trail is managed by the Tribe. [4] [upper-alpha 1]

Recreational features

A moose seen from the trail Moose in creek 2 (11633266106).jpg
A moose seen from the trail

The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes includes camping facilities and rest areas regularly. The trail leads through protected marsh lands, offering the cyclist a glimpse of eagle and osprey nests, moose, elk, and a variety of ducks and other wildlife, as well as some rare species of wildflowers and accompanying butterflies as a result of the age-old soot from the old railroad.[ citation needed ]

See also

Notes

  1. For the full story of the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, resulting from negotiations of the U.S. EPA and other parties to resolve the Superfund liability of Union Pacific Railroad, see Cleaning Up At the Tracks: Superfund Meets Rails-To-Trails, Clifford J. Villa (2001). [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plummer, Idaho</span> City in Idaho, United States

Plummer is a city in Benewah County, Idaho, United States. The population was 1,044 at the 2010 census, up from 990 in 2000. It is the largest city within the Coeur d'Alene Reservation, and is accessed by U.S. Route 95, the state's primary north–south highway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coeur d'Alene, Idaho</span> City in Idaho, United States

Coeur d'Alene is a city and the county seat of Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. It is the largest city in North Idaho and the principal city of the Coeur d'Alene Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 54,628 at the 2020 census. Coeur d'Alene is a satellite city of Spokane, which is located about thirty miles (50 km) to the west in the state of Washington. The two cities are the key components of the Spokane–Coeur d'Alene Combined Statistical Area, of which Coeur d'Alene is the third-largest city. The city is situated on the north shore of the 25-mile (40 km) long Lake Coeur d'Alene and to the west of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains. Locally, Coeur d'Alene is known as the "Lake City," or simply called by its initials, "CDA."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrison, Idaho</span> City in Idaho, United States

Harrison is a city in Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. The population was 203 at the 2010 census. Harrison is located on the eastern shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene, immediately south of where the Coeur d'Alene River flows into the lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wallace, Idaho</span> City in Idaho, United States

Wallace, Idaho is a city in and the county seat of Shoshone County, Idaho, in the Silver Valley mining district of the Idaho Panhandle. Founded in 1884, Wallace sits alongside the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River. The town's population was 784 at the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farragut State Park</span> State park in Idaho, United States

Farragut State Park is a public recreation area in the northwest United States, located in northern Idaho at the southern tip of Lake Pend Oreille in the Coeur d'Alene Mountains. The 4,000-acre state park is five miles (8 km) east of Athol in Kootenai County, about thirty miles (50 km) northeast of Coeur d'Alene. Activities include camping, picnicking, hiking, mountain biking, cycling, fishing, boating, swimming, water sports, orienteering, disc golf, flying model aircraft, archery, and horseback riding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coeur d'Alene people</span> Native American tribe in Idaho, United States

The Coeur d'Alene Tribe are a Native American tribe and one of five federally recognized tribes in the state of Idaho.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idaho panhandle</span> Region of the U.S. state of Idaho

The Idaho panhandle—locally known as North Idaho—is a salient region of the U.S. state of Idaho encompassing the state's 10 northernmost counties: Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce, and Shoshone. The panhandle is bordered by the state of Washington to the west, Montana to the east, and the Canadian province of British Columbia to the north. The Idaho panhandle, along with Eastern Washington, makes up the region known as the Inland Northwest, headed by its largest city, Spokane, Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Coeur d'Alene</span> Glacial lake in Idaho, US

Lake Coeur d'Alene, officially Coeur d'Alene Lake, is a natural dam-controlled lake in North Idaho, located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. At its northern end is the city of Coeur d'Alene. It spans 25 miles (40 km) in length and ranges from 1 to 3 miles (5 km) wide with over 109 miles (175 km) of shoreline.

The Silver Valley is a region in the northwest United States, in the Coeur d'Alene Mountains in northern Idaho. It is noted for its mining heritage, dating back to the 1880s.

Lookout Pass is a mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of the northwestern United States. In the Coeur d'Alene Mountains of the Bitterroot Range, the pass is on the border between Idaho and Montana, traversed by Interstate 90 at an elevation of 4,710 feet (1,436 m) above sea level.

Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area is a ski area in the western United States. It is at Lookout Pass on Interstate 90, on the border of Idaho and Montana, five miles (8 km) east of Mullan, Idaho. It has a summit elevation of 6,150 ft (1,870 m) on Eagle Peak and 5,650 ft (1,720 m) on Runt Mountain with a vertical drop of 1,650 ft (500 m). Lookout Pass operates seven days per week from mid-December until mid-April.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 90 in Idaho</span> Section of Interstate Highway in Idaho, United States

Interstate 90 (I-90) is a transcontinental Interstate Highway that runs east–west across the northern United States. Within the state of Idaho, the freeway travels for 74 miles (119 km) from the Washington border near Spokane to Coeur d'Alene and the panhandle region at the north end of the state. After traveling through the Silver Valley along the Coeur d'Alene River in the Bitterroot Range, I-90 crosses into Montana at Lookout Pass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Idaho</span> Overview of the Geograpny of Idaho

The U.S. state of Idaho borders six other U.S. states and one Canadian province. The states of Washington and Oregon are to the west, Nevada and Utah are to the south, and Montana and Wyoming are to the east. Idaho also shares a short border with the Canadian province of British Columbia to the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sports in Spokane, Washington</span>

Spokane, Washington has a rich sporting culture and the area residents are active in many spectator and participant sports. Although Spokane lacks any major, nationally recognized professional sports team, Spokane has a sports friendly atmosphere, and was recognized and rated #99 in the Sporting News 2006 "99 Best Sporting Cities" list. In 2009, Sports Business Journal rated Spokane as the fifth best minor league sports market in America out of 239 markets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Spokane, Washington</span>

The economy of the Spokane Metropolitan Area plays a vital role as the hub for the commercial, manufacturing, and transportation center as well as the medical, shopping, and entertainment hub of the 80,000 square miles (210,000 km2) Inland Northwest region. Although the two have opted not to merge into a single Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) yet, the Coeur d'Alene MSA has been combined by the Census Bureau into the Spokane–Coeur d'Alene combined statistical area (CSA). The CSA comprises the Spokane metropolitan area and the Coeur d'Alene metropolitan area anchored by Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Spokane metropolitan area has a workforce of about 287,000 people and an unemployment rate of 5.3 percent as of February 2020; the largest sectors for non–farm employment are education and health services, trade, transportation, and utilities, and government. The Coeur d'Alene metropolitan area has a workforce of 80,000 people and an unemployment rate of 6.8% as of June 2020; the largest sectors for non-farm employment are trade, transportation, and utilities, government, and education and health services as well as leisure and hospitality. In 2017, the Spokane–Spokane Valley metropolitan area had a gross metropolitan product of $25.5 billion while the Coeur d'Alene metropolitan area was $5.93 billion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 95 in Idaho</span> Section of U.S. Highway in Idaho, United States

In the U.S. state of Idaho, U.S. Route 95 (US-95) is a north–south highway near the western border of the state, stretching from Oregon to British Columbia for over 538 miles (866 km); it was earlier known in the state as the North and South Highway.

The Lake Creek and Coeur d'Alene Railroad built a 14.18-mile (22.82 km) rail line between Manito, Washington and Amwaco, Idaho. It was incorporated on July 26, 1906, in Oregon, and completed the line on June 12, 1910. From opening, the company's line, and a steamboat it had acquired, were leased to the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company (OR&N). The OR&N was already operating a line through Manito to Spokane, and at Amwaco it used the steamboat to cross Lake Coeur d'Alene to Harrison, which was located on another ex-Washington and Idaho Railroad line to Wallace. The combined railroad and steamboat line thus formed a shorter route between Spokane and Wallace than the all-rail route via Tekoa, and helped the OR&N successfully compete with the electric interurban Coeur d'Alene and Spokane Railway and its steamboat connection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heyburn State Park</span>

Heyburn State Park is a public recreation area in the U.S. state of Idaho. It is located almost entirely in Benewah County, with a small portion extending into southern Kootenai County. The park was founded in 1908 and is the oldest state or provincial park in the Pacific Northwest. The park has 5,744 acres (23.2 km2) of land and 2,332 acres (9.4 km2) of water on three lakes: Benewah, Chatcolet, and Hidden. A dam constructed on the Spokane River in Post Falls in 1906 raised the level of Lake Coeur d'Alene, connecting it to the park's three lakes. The surface elevation of the lakes is 2,125 feet (648 m) above sea level. The park's year-round recreational opportunities include camping, boating, hiking, horseback riding, fishing, and picnicking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Spokane Plains</span> 1858 battle fought in Washington

The Battle of Spokane Plains was a battle during the Coeur d'Alene War of 1858 in the Washington Territory in the United States. The Coeur d'Alene War was part of the Yakima War, which began in 1855. The battle was fought west of Fort George Wright near Spokane, Washington, between elements of the United States Army and a coalition of Native American tribes consisting of Kalispel, Palus, Schitsu'umsh, Spokan, and Yakama warriors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spokane and Inland Empire Railroad</span> Interuban railway in Washington State, U.S.

The Spokane and Inland Empire Railroad Company (S.&I.E.R.R.Co.) was an electrified interurban railway operating in Spokane, Washington and vicinity, extending into northern and central Idaho. The system originated in several predecessor roads beginning c. 1890, incorporated in 1904, and ran under its own name to 1929. It merged into the Great Northern Railway and later, the Burlington Northern Railroad, which operated some roads into the 1980s.

References

  1. 1 2 Cernera, Phillip; Gunderman, Jack; Ridolfi, Callie (July 25, 2002). "A trail of mining waste turns into a trail of recreation". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. Seattle, Wash. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
  2. Quinn, Molly (June 1, 2004). "Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Wash. (map). p. A11. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
  3. Barker, Eric (July 31, 2004). "From rail to grail: Long-awaited Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Lewiston, Id. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Lake Management: Recreation Management Programs". Official Site of the Coeur d' Alene Tribe. Coeur d'Alene Tribe . Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  5. Hagengruber, James (June 1, 2004). "The resurrection of Harrison". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Wash. p. A1. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
  6. Titone, Julie (February 17, 1999). "Many questions arise over trail proposal". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Wash. p. B1. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
  7. Villa, Clifford J. (2001). "Cleaning Up the Tracks: Superfund Meets Rails-To-Trails". University of New Mexico. Retrieved June 16, 2018.