The Great R'Idaho Trail #2
Northern Loop - Route Description
Stage 4: Wallace to Gold Creek Lodge
Distance in Miles
Miles of Trail
Minimum Elevation in Ft
Maximum Elevation in Ft
Interactive Maps To See Detailed Route. (Full Screen) Download GRIT2-NoLoop Tracks
Legend
- Navy Blue: Designated motorcycle trails or notably tougher ATV trails
- Green: Designated ATV trails or just too easy motorcycle trails
- Red: Advanced Difficulty Trails
- Magenta: Roads. Dirt Road most often, but occasionally paved.
- Light Blue: Easier Bypass Detours or optional side-trips. Only the first section of a detour is color coded when the route splits.
- Black: Special Test Detours. Only the first section of a detour is color coded when the route splits.
This stage heads north east out of Wallace through the historic mining town of Burke before it climbs up to the somewhat advanced and highlight state line trail. Make sure you stop at the waypoint about 4 miles into trail 7 to park your bike in the boulders, to walk over the crest and take a few pics of the awesome view down the cliff to Pear Lake. We continue the extremely memorable, boulder built trail 7 that follows the Montana/Idaho state line before ending at a road. Soon there is the advanced, but highly rewarding special test spur trail to the top of Granite Peak. We leave the Montana state line to access some single track and ATV trails into Murray. In Murray, you will find food, but no gas (except what you can scrounge). Then we head up the paved NF9 road to Thompson Pass where we can rejoin the stateline trail with the occasional boulder sections and a rewarding special test spur trail up to the top of Black Peak. After this trail ends at a road for a well earned rest.
We take 58 miles of forest roads to connect to the Gold Creek trail system. Near the end that that road section, you have to option for a special test loop up over Mosquito Ridge trail that starts with a real gatekeeper hill climb. The main route takes us to the Green Monarch trail with the most majestic view over Pend Orielle Lake. This is one major photo op. Then cut back about a half mile on that trail to drop down the switchbacks of trail 105. After a few miles of connector forest road, you get to jam up the flowing Trail 71 that will rejuvenate your second wind late in the day. If you don’t need to to catch you second wind, part way thru Trail 71, there is an expert only special test loop over Pack Saddle trail.
Then we have the last sweet trail of the day descending down Gold Creek trail. Along the roads to the dirt bike friendly Gold Creek Lodge, be sure to stop in the vacation town of Lakeview on the shore of Lake Pend Orielle Lake for a sunset photo and awe for what you are accomplishing. Then mosey on up to the lodge for a great meal, gas and bed for the night. One final day of Adventure Enduro tomorrow.
