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Reply to "Rail-Trails: Rich Melvin in Deadwood, S.Dakota"

Geysergazer,

Thanks so much for contributing to this thread.

I haven't ridden Virginia Creeper since 1999, so have no current knowledge.

However, my wife and I just did complete the "Route of the Hiawatha" Trail,  the 15-mile segment of the Milwaukee right-of-way between the east portal of Taft Tunnel (aka St. Paul Pass Tunnel) and Pearson near the west foot of the pass on October 3 (minus the 1.7-mile Taft Tunnel which was then closed for the season), biking both up- and down-grade, and found the surface excellent, so it appears improvements have been made since 2012. 

NOTE:  It's important to distinguish between the "Route of the Hiawatha", which refers to this specific 15-mile segment which is restricted to non-motorized transit, while the segment extending east toward St. Regis, Montana, which is "multi-use", i.e., open to some motorized travel, is known variously as the "Trail of the Hiawatha" and/or "Olympian-Hiawatha" Trail".   There is also railtrail west from Pearson through Avery to St. Maries, Idaho that is similarly "multi-use" which I've seen referred to as "Old Milwaukee Scenic Alternate Trail" or "Old Milwaukee Railroad".

Finally, far-and-away, the best quality railtrail  in the nearby area is the fully-paved 72-mile "Trail of the Couer d'Alenes", following the river of that name from Mullen to and around the southern end of the lake of that name to Plummer, Idaho.   Strictly non-motorized, lots of rest areas with tables and toilets, and the only trail I've used that includes on-trail, do-it-yourself repair stations with holding rack, complete sets of tools and tire pumps.  (This is a former Union Pacific branch, and crosses a 3100' trestle and swing-bridge across the south end of the lake.)

Bill

 

 

 

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