[Vision2020] 10-13-04 Spokesman_review: CdA trail a top draw for cyclists

[Art Deco aka W. Fox]

CdA trail a top draw for cyclists
Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes draws 78,000 in its first season
            More information
            Trails online
            For more information on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, visit: 
www.friendsofcdatrails.org.



James Hagengruber
Staff writer
November 13, 2004

A new, narrow strip of asphalt spanning the Idaho panhandle is becoming a top 
draw for bicyclists.

In its inaugural season, the 73-mile Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes drew at least 
78,000 riders, according to estimates from the Idaho Department of Parks and 
Recreation.

"This is becoming a real bicycle destination," said Bill Scudder, the state's 
manager of the trail. "It's going to get a little bigger all the time."

The success is prompting a flurry of planning to connect the Trail of the Coeur 
d'Alenes with other regional trails, including the Centennial and Hiawatha 
trails.


The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes was built atop a decommissioned railbed and runs 
from Mullan to Plummer. Below the trail's asphalt are toxic remnants from the 
days when the route was used to haul heavy metals. But on either side of the 
pathway, eye candy is abundant: with everything from clear mountain streams and 
dark cedar forests to small towns straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting.

The state based its ridership estimate using four laser counters. The number is 
a ballpark figure, Scudder said, because many cyclists rode only portions of the 
trail. The segment between Enaville and Bull Run Lake trailheads appears to be 
the most popular. The 14-mile stretch follows the Coeur d'Alene River and offers 
ample shade on summer afternoons.

Rider demographics have not been tracked, but Scudder said about half the 
visitors appear to be from out of the region.

Jon Ruggles, president of the Friends of the Coeur d'Alene Trails, thinks more 
than 100,000 riders pedaled the trail this summer. The state did not have a 
counter near Harrison, a small town on the south end of Lake Coeur d'Alene that 
has retooled its summertime economy around cyclists. The section between 
Harrison and Plummer crosses Lake Coeur d'Alene and trailhead parking lots in 
the area were often packed.

Ruggles has conducted an economic analysis of the trail and puts the first-year 
figure at $5 million for local economies. Cyclists don't usually have much room 
to carry gear, but cash and credit cards don't take up a lot of space, Ruggles 
said. Cyclists are also typically from higher income brackets.

The popularity of the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, along with the success of 
other trails, is fueling hope that North Idaho could become a national cycling 
mecca, Ruggles said. Planning is under way for connecting trails between the 
region's major trails, including a possible link between Centennial Trail and 
the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes.

"We're developing into the next Moab," Ruggles said, referring to the southern 
Utah cycling hotspot. "The potential is there, absolutely."

By midsummer, a network is expected to connect the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes 
with the Route of the Hiawatha, along the Montana-Idaho border. The tunnels and 
trestles of the Hiawatha have developed a national reputation and many of the 
cyclists are now spilling over onto the other regional trails, Ruggles said.

Kellogg's Silver Mountain Resort opened a series of mountain biking trails this 
summer that drew large crowds, said Greg Peak, manager of the resort's retail 
shop. The mountainside trails range from beginner to double-black diamond and 
riders are able to conquer the elevation using the resort's gondolas, he said. 
More trails are planned for next year, Peak said. "We pretty much just scratched 
the surface building trails."

Schweitzer Mountain Resort in Sandpoint has already made a name for itself among 
serious mountain bikers. About 1,400 riders converged on the mountain this 
summer for a national circuit race.

One of the biggest missing trail links in the region is a connection between the 
Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes and the Centennial Trail, which runs from Coeur 
d'Alene to Spokane. Possible routes are being explored, including a path over 
Fourth of July Pass, said Gene O'Meara, board member of the North Idaho 
Centennial Trail group.

"It's still in the dream stage. But I say if John Mullan can do it, we can 
follow his lead," O'Meara said, referring to the famous 19th century 
trailblazer. "It'd be huge. You could ride a bike from far west of Spokane all 
the way to Montana."

O'Meara said other connection possibilities also are being explored, including a 
boat shuttle from Coeur d'Alene to the Harrison trailhead, or equipping Coeur 
d'Alene Casino shuttle buses with bicycle racks.

"A lot of people call from all over the country and they want to know a good way 
to get from one trail to the other," O'Meara said. "I really don't have a good 
answer for them now."

More work is needed along the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, said Mike Domy, owner 
of Kellogg's Excelsior Cycle. The trail itself is in prime condition, but many 
cyclists say there's a lack of lodging, campgrounds, shuttle services and food 
stops along the route.

"We have a lot of the trails and places to go biking now but we don't have a lot 
of tourist amenities yet," Domy said, adding that he expects to see more 
investment soon. "I can't tell you how much I think this is helping the Silver 
Valley."

The Enaville Resort has already made some changes because of the bicyclists, 
said proprietor Joe Peak. The salad bar was expanded and healthier menu options 
were added. Bicycle racks were placed around the facility. On summer weekend 
afternoons more than half the clientele are now cyclists, Peak said.

"It's just had a real positive economic boost for us," Peak said. "The trail has 
had more of an impact than even Silver Mountain, and I'm not putting Silver 
Mountain down. It's just been awesome. Just awesome."
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