Indian Cliffs, Heyburn State Park, Plummer, Idaho
Indian Cliffs is in the Appendix of 100 Hikes in the Inland Northwest: Heyburn State Park, 6 miles east of Plummer, Idaho, and then north on the shore of Lake Chatcolet, has a couple of nice trails. Indian Cliffs Trailhead is passed just after crossing railroad tracks before turning into park headquarters, where details can be obtained. The interpretive trail gains 520 feet in elevation to excellent views of the “river in a lake,” where the St. Joe River separates Round and Chatcolet Lakes. Also, check out the nearby trailhead for the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, a 72-mile paved trail.
Only In Your State provides a wonderful write-up of this trail: There are endless scenic views along the trail at Heyburn State Park in Idaho. The oldest state park in the Pacific Northwest, Heyburn State Park encompasses a stunning landscape of towering Ponderosa pines and lush, colorful meadows. Exploring its 5,744 acres of land and 2,332 acres of water is a must for any Idahoan. The Indian Cliffs Trail within the park’s borders is an excellent way to do just that. The short loop trail boasts fantastic scenery from beginning to end, making for an unforgettable outing in North Idaho. Enjoy some of the best scenery of Heyburn State Park in Idaho with the Indian Cliffs Trail. You’ll quickly find there’s never a dull moment on this moderate trail, as it boasts scenic views from start to finish.
When I was walking this trail, I was paying attention to everything around me except for what was right in front of me. Until I literally walked right into a moose. I am certain that it is a disservice to the world that I do not come with a warning label or that I am not sporting a dunce cap. The moose was probably as surprised as I was, which gave me a couple of seconds to assemble a couple of brain cells to cooperate and get me behind a tree. The moose huffed and puffed and seemed to casually look for the rude specimen that interrupted its peaceful hike on a beautiful trail, and even though I knew I was safe as long as the moose could not see me, I still felt my heart pounding in my ears. After what felt like 6 hours, the moose correctly decided that I was not worth its time and went down the trail towards the direction I had come from, at which time I had promptly begun running the other way to get a few bends in the trail between it and me. Because obviously, the moose will stick to the trail if it decides to turn around. Warning label and dunce cap. I know.
As mentioned above, the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes is near here – in fact, one end of the long trail begins in Plummer. A popular section for casual biking of the trail begins at Heyburn State Park and goes to Harrison, Idaho. I had previously written about the Rails to Trails Conservancy when I explored the Palouse to Cascades Trail here. The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes is another project of this organization. I have done this section a few times with my boys while they were younger, again with Barbarian Scientist and his spawn, and most recently with GV, my Biking Queen. Harrison is a fun destination from Heyburn State Park because it gives enough biking miles to feel like you worked a little (8 miles, one way), the views are incredible, and crossing the Chatcolet Bridge is fun because it is a bit of a workout to ride up to the bridge and a speedy descent once you make it to the top. Harrison is a small, old town with beautiful brick buildings, and city park with public bathrooms, a swimming beach, the famous-to-bike-riders Harrison Creamery & Fudge Factory, and most recently, The Cycle Haus. I went to The Cycle Haus: Bikes and Brews with Biking Queen, and we were both impressed and honestly surprised that something like that was not here before. In addition to being a great place to sit for food or drinks, they offer bike rentals, shuttles, maps, and gifts.
The Cycle Haus: The Route of the Hiawatha and the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes are part of a 300K Rail to Trail System known as the Bitterroot Loop. The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes is a paved 73 mile, mostly flat trail that wanders through the Silver Valley, the Coeur d’Alene River Valley, the Chain Lake Region, and along Lake Coeur D Alene. The crown jewel of the Bitteroot Loop, and perhaps the crown jewel of the entire Rails to Trails system, is the Route of the Hiawatha. The Route of the Hiawatha is a 15 mile downhill route, beginning in Montana and ending in Idaho. The packed dirt and gravel path takes you over spectacular soaring train trestles and into miles-long deep dark tunnels. See waterfalls and remnants of the people who built the West all while gliding through the hills and forests of Idaho and Montana’s National Forest land.
“The Rails to Trails Crown Jewel” is a must-do for the area. The only downside is the logistics of organizing passes and shuttles, but it is only fun once you are on the trail. In addition to the usual bike safety gear, a headlamp is required. There are 10 train tunnels that you ride through and 7 trestles that you ride across. The tunnels are pitch black, cold, and often muddy. The trestles are sometimes a little windy, but the views are impeccable.
