Map of bike paths / walking paths in the Coeur d'Alene area

FULL PAGE MAP

Recreation trails for walking, running and cycling in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Coeur d'Alene, Hayden and Post Falls are located along the Spokane River and Interstate 90 in the north panhandle region of Idaho. All three cities are in Kootenai County. These communities are just 25 miles or so from Spokane, Oregon and 88 miles south of the Canadian border. This area is a frequent weekend getaway spot for people from Spokane.

Coeur d'Alene sits between the shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene and Coeur d'Alene National Forest. The area has a mild climate year round and outdoor recreation opportunities abound with boating, kayaking, fishing, skiing and it is also an excellent area for cycling. The three cities offer many recreational trails for riding a bike or for going for a walk. One of the most beautiful of these trails is the North Idaho Centennial Trail that wanders along the shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene and then between Interstate 90 and the Spokane River all the way to the Washington border. 

North Idaho Centennial Trail

The North Idaho Centennial Trail is a 24-mile long paved pathway that spans between the border with Washington and Higgens Point on Lake Coeur d'Alene in Northern Idaho. Much of the trail travels through residential neighborhoods to thw west of Downtown Coeur d'Alene. To the east of the downtown area, the trail offers miles of travel away from traffic along the north shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene and has lovely views across the lake.

At the Idaho / Washington State Line, the North Idaho Centennial Trail connects to the Centennial Trail for the State of Washington that travels west into Spokane. From this location, the North Idaho Centennial Trail heads east and crosses the Spokane River using a bridge that was constructed for the railroad. The trail roughly parallels Interstate 90, but has a buffer between itself and the roadway. At S. Pleasant View Road, the trail kicks to the south and goes through the residential neighborhoods that lie just north of the Spokane River. There is a short gap in the trail from S. Greensferry Road and S. Ross Point Road where trail users will need to use local streets to reach the next section. The trail continues east adjacent to Interstate 90, eventually kicking to the south to go through the Downtown Coeur d'Alene. East of the downtown area, the trail follows the shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene to Higgen's Point.

Read more about the North Idaho Centennial Trail

Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes

The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes is a 71-mile long paved pathway that follows an abandoned railroad right-of-way from the town of Plummer to Mullan to the south of Coeur d'Alene. The route crosses much of the Idaho Panhandle from the border with Washington to within 5 miles of the border with Montana. The trail travels through wide open countryside, past farmland and prairie, through state parks and rural communities. The highlights of the trail include a 0.8-mile long railroad bridge across Chacolet Lake on the Coeur d'Alene River. There are numerous other historic railroad bridges along the route and other artifacts from the railroad including railroad depots.

The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes crosses miles of remote Idaho countryside and trail users should come prepared with supplies and water. This area of Idaho can get very warm during summer months and travel along the trail should be limited to the cooler hours. Thunderstorms, wind and inclement weather can crop up at any time and there are long stretches with little shelter.

---

Resources

Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the recreational trails for bike riding, running and walking in the Coeur d'Alene area of Northern Idaho.