Silver Bike Tours | bicycle tours and cycling vacations - Spokane Washington and Inland Northwest

Silver Bike Tours offers Washington, Idaho, and Montana bike tour adventures in the heart of Silver Country which includes eastern Washington, Northern Idaho, and western Montana.
Our bicycle tours help you experience western history and beauty in Washington, Idaho, and western Montana.

Cycling's Best Kept Secret!
Some of North America’s finest cycling opportunities are located in eastern Bike and Mountains Washington, northern Idaho, and western Montana. In an area historically known as “Silver Country” you will find America’s second longest paved bike trail, breathtaking vistas, miles of converted railroad tunnels and trestles, plus plenty of fascinating historical and native American landmarks. Oh, and did we mention the summer weather rated #2 in all of North America! Uniquely, the region’s trails are suited for EVERY kind of cyclist, from older to young, from enthusiast to casual cyclist, and for every level of fitness.

Panhandle Beauty!
Surrounded by lush green mountains, rugged canyons, rushing streams and crystal clear alpine lakes, Silver country is one of the first frontiers of the Pacific Northwest. There's nothing more exciting than enjoying Silver Country outd Cyclists oors! There are many special places, from popular lakeside campgrounds to high wilderness and richly forested areas. More than half of all the surface waters in Idaho are here in the panhandle. Miles of rivers and vast lakes are world class sport fisheries, many the location of sport fishing records. Where there's fishing, there's boating and sailing. The St. Joe River reaches an altitude of 2,128 feet to make it the highest navigable river in the world. On this working river, tug boats pull rafts or "brailes" of logs to lumber mills in St. Maries and Coeur d'Alene. The tugs are living history, operating where paddle-wheelers once did.

Silver Cities
The Silver boom of the 1800's and 1900's was the stimulus for various cities rising in the Inland Northwest. Spokane, Washington, a regional h CDA Resort ub, hosted the World Fair in 1974, and is known internationally for its incredible waterfalls, unique urban parks, and western historical character. "Near Nature and Near Perfect," the city and its environs are an important part of many of our tours and usual arrival point (via air and train) for tour participants from outside the area. Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, 35 miles to the east of Spokane, is beautifully situated next to breathtaking Lake Coeur d' Alene. This quaint town full of shops and trendy restaurants is home to the world renowned Coeur d' Alene Resort, and is favorite sightseeing and resting destination.

The 14 small communities in the Silver Valley, nestled in the Mountains of beautiful North Idaho, provide a wide variety of services and shopping. Each town has a rich history in mining and logging that spans over 100 years. Our tours feature two of these Silver Gondola communities in particular. Kellog, Idaho is home to the Silver Mountain Resort and the second longest gondola in the world. Beautiful Harrison, Idaho, located on the eastern shore of south Lake Coeur d' Alenes at the mouth of the Coeur d'Alenes River. was once a landing for steamers. The Harrison Marina Trailhead provides easy access to the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes right from the heart of town. Harrison is an ideal spot to begin and end our trips. After a long ride on the trail, it's nice to get rejuvenated with a swim at Harrison's beach!

Mining & Railroad History
"Silver Country" holds a unique place in the history of western Americana. Between 1884 and 2006, the Silver Valley produced 1.202 billion ounces of silver making it the richest silver mining district in the world. The entire area developed around this discovery of silver and gold, including cities of Coeur d' Alene, Wallace, Kellog, and others. Set near the Bitterroot mountains, Silver Country is replete with rugged historical landmarks, converted train routes that are now bike trails, and incredibly beautiful lakes and rivers. Silver Bike Tour participants get to experience this rich history firsthand.

Native American History - The Coeur d' Alene Tribe
The Schee-Chu-Umsh, translated 'the ones that were found here' a Sahlish speaking people, once occupied over four million acres in northern Idaho, Montana and eastern Washington. They were primarily a hunter-gatherer people who followed the seasonal cycle of wild game, fish runs, roots and berries. Explorers and fur traders came into the Inland Northwest during the early 19th century and established trading posts among the Schee-Chu-Umsh people. David Thompson, of the Northwest Fur Trading Company, referred to these Indians as "pointed hearts", which is probably a translation of the French words "Coeur d'Alenes” “heart of the awl.” An awl is a pointed tool used to pierce leather. It is widely believed that it described their sharp trading practices.

The Trail of the Coeur d' Alenes and Route of the Hiawatha are in the heart of the Indian lands and parts of the trails pass through the Coeur d' Alene reservation and are administered by the tribe.

Note: Photo is of members of the Coeur d' Alenes Tribe attending dance near Morrison Ranch in Fairfield, WA. c. 1920. More information can be found at http://www.museumni.org