Passes & Canyons Blog

Morgan Sansotta, a die-hard Springsteen fan, blogs on behalf of Jafrum.com. People never believe she wants to leave the Bay Area for her native Idaho.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not the Potato State — it’s the Gem State. And what a gem it is, particularly on a motorcycle. Idaho is, arguably, the most wild of all lower-48 states and, undisputedly, home to some of the country’s most majestic scenes and varied landscapes. In a single day you can zip from the sun-baked desert to a lush lake shadowed by towering peaks, past volcanic lava beds, through sprawling farmland and end up at a National Park. Unless you’re looking for the ocean or a shopping mall, there is something there for everyone.

As a young adult, I spent many years in the Idaho wilderness and plenty of those years cruising up and down hidden highways. Excellent roads, far-beaten paths and scenic detours are literally everywhere. It’s not hard to find your own slice of remote paradise, every few miles in some areas. The state is the one of the largest, and least populated, in the Union. With so many routes to choose from, I’ll just touch on a couple of my favorites.

Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway

Straight out of the capital city and on up to Lowman, Stanley and the Sawtooth Mountains, this is an extremely popular ride for motorcycle enthusiasts, hotspringers and all manner of outdoor recreators. Highway 21 is on a loop, making this literally, a round trip. While you will have to keep an eye out for rock slides and loose debris, keep both eyes peeled for the long list of wildlife calling this area home. Deer, elk, coyotes, foxes and birds of prey loom at every corner. Campsites are scattered everywhere on this jaunt, but don’t expect to see many roadside pubs or restaurants. If you have some spare time and a penchant for nostalgia, try your hand at panning for gold in the Idaho City area.

The Devil’s Tail

Hell’s Canyon is the deepest gorge in the country, a solid 2000 feet deeper than the Grand Canyon. No matter which direction you come from (Cambridge, ID off US 95 or the Oregon route through Oxbow) prepare for some gorgeous scenery. Be careful when studying maps, trying to craft your own trail – this is an extremely primitive area with loose dirt roads everywhere. Take a time out and let someone else do the driving – take a jet boat up the Snake River or a commercial raft down it. Or both (I’ve done it once and it was awwwesome). This can be a dangerous trail, all cliffs and blind curves, but the view of the Seven Devil’s mountains makes this a check-box on any biker’s list.

The Lolo Pass

Cut across the middle of Idaho on Highway 12 all the way over to Montana (another state chockfull of beautiful byways). They say that Lewis and Clark took this path, more or less, straight through the Clearwater and Lolo National Forests. This road is notorious for its rural curves. Some bikers have even complained that the 60+ miles of switchbacks gets monotonous. Be warned, there’s a 75-mile stretch in the middle with virtually nothing but Evergreen trees and gushing water. No gas, no food, no kidding. Also, be wary of the western half of the journey (towards Lewiston) – truckers and wide loads aren’t looking for you, but that’s nothing new. Idaho law doesn’t require riders to wear helmets. But please do. Other than that, make sure to bring your camera so you can take a picture of your mug next to the famous “Winding Road Next 99 Miles” sign.

Recent from National Motorcycle Examiner
Only a biker knows . . .: Motorcycle wit and wisdom #28

Biker Quote for Today

We are born without a road map and a choice of many trails.

Tags: riding motorcycles in Idaho

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 12th, 2013 at 10:51 pm and is filed under motorcycle touring. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.