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The Tour of Idaho

The Tour of Idaho (T1) is a 1433-mile dirt bike ride that begins in the Malad Range of southern Idaho and ends in the Selkirk Mountains near the Canadian border. It is very likely one of the most difficult long dirt bike rides in the United States. It is NOT a dual sport ride - plated dirt bikes, with lights, are required. Idaho has some new requirements for off road motorcycles. If your bike is plated out of state you should be fine. Click here to check the rules.

Most of the week or so normally taken to complete the Tour is spent in wilderness areas far from the nearest town including the largest designated wilderness in the lower 48 states - the Frank Church. Cell phones are useless much of the way. Water, food, emergency supplies and fuel must be carried and bikes and riders must be capable of a 200+ mile range day after day. The Tour encompasses extremes of elevation (1486' at Lowell to 10,420' at Railroad Ridge) and climate. 

Technical challenges include mud, snow, extensive sections of technical single track, rocky atv trails, numerous water crossings and deep sand. The variety of plants, animals and geological features found along the way is of amazing. The riding is varied, challenging and always interesting. If you are the type of person who feels comfortable rebuilding a bike in the middle of nowhere, or lashing logs together to cross a swollen creek, T1 is for you. 

The Tour is generally passable by mid July and remains open through early October during most years (though some trails close in late September for hunting season). There is a distinct possibility of blistering heat, brutal cold and deluges of biblical proportions - rain, snow or both - along the entire route. All of the above may be encountered within just a few hours. As ofthe Tour is closed until the 2013 summer season.  

Some Tour highlights are described below. For a complete description see our maps and detailed route description page, the TID FAQ, the Tour of Idaho Challenge , the Tour of Idaho Facebook Group and the T1 manifesto. There is a dual sport variant, T3, and a 500-mile dual sport friendly East-West Tour of Idaho known as T2.  

You are free to use all of the information here anyway that you wish. We ask only that you spend some time exploring the information here (there is a lot) before you email us with questions and that you respect the tradition of reserving the appellation "Tour of Idaho," for those who complete the route as we've described it.

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Tour of Idaho

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Idaho-Utah Border
Jenkins Hollow (5762'). Mile 0.
Mile Marker 1
Twin Lakes
Emerging from the trees just below the summit of Old Baldy (7500'). In the background is the town of Clifton, ID and Twin Lakes Reservoir. Mile 25.




Clifton
Oxford Ridge
Beginning the spectacular climb up Oxford Ridge. Mile 30.


Oxford Ridge
Oxford Ridge 
The Oxford Ridge trail straddles the Oneida/Franklin county line (8281'). The city of Clifton, ID and Twin Lake Reservoir lie in the background, some 4000' below. Mile 31.






Oxford Ridge
Oxford Basin
Oxford Basin in the fall (7000'). Mile 40.




Oxford Basin
Sedgwick Peak
Descending from the summit of Sedgwick Peak (9167') along the Portneuf Range Crest toward Lava Hot Springs. Mile 72.




Sedgwick
Inkom Pass
Cresting the knoll above Inkom Pass (7500') along the Portneuf Range Crest, Mile 100.




Inkom Pass
Chinese Peak/Scout Mountain  
Looking south toward Scout Mountain (8700') from Chinese Peak (6459') near the top of Blackrock Canyon. Mile 125.





Blackrock Canyon
Arbon Valley
Lusk Loop, Arbon Valley (5415'). Mile 158.
Arbon Valley
Rockland Valley
Approaching Rockland Valley (4872'). Mile 177.
Rockland Valley
Flint Canyon
Flint Canyon, Sublett Range (5563'). Mile 187.


Flint Canyon
Desert Vista
Challenge point near Fall Creek. Mile 205.
Desert Vista
Fall Creek
Looking north toward the Snake River from Fall Creek (4600') in the northern Sublett Range. Mile 207.
Fall Creek
American Falls
Just west of American Falls on the south side of the Snake River (4417'). Mile  229.
American Falls
Sand Whoops Trail
West of American Falls, on the north side of the Snake River. Thirty miles of sand, dunes and whoops. Mile 240.






Desert Bloom
Sand Dunes 
Just west of  Bonanza Lake. Mile 250.





Sand Dunes
Gasten-Beattie Well
Middle of nowhere, Snake River desert. Mile 300.

Gasten Beattie
Big Southern Butte
Big Southern Butte, a prominent landmark along Goodale's Cutoff, rises 2500 feet above the desert floor and dominates the Snake River Plain for a hundred miles in any direction. Mile 323.
BSB
Big Southern Butte
The view from the lookout on top of Big Southern Butte (7517') in June. The road to the top is steep in sections but suitable for all motorcycles. Mile 339.  





Big Southern Butte
Big Lost River
The view north toward King Mountain, 20 miles west of Big Southern Butte.  Mile 360.
Arco Desert
Arco
Arco, ID - population 1026, elevation 5325'. Plenty of submarine parking. US 20 is in the foreground. The road out of town toward Arco Pass is in the front of the sail. Arco is a full-service, dirt bike friendly town.  Mile 369. 
Arco Submarine
Arco Pass Road
Approaching Beverland Pass. Mile 375.
Arco Pass
Beverland Pass
Near the summit of the Beverland Pass (7416'). The Lost River Valley is in in the background and the west shoulder of King Mountain on the right. The route takes farm road in the valley at the base of the mountain north to Pass Creek. Mile 381.
Beverland Pass
Pass Creek
Entering Pass Creek Canyon (6222'). Pass Creek road climbs 7 miles to Pass Creek Summit at an elevation of 7722'. Mile 401.
Pass Creek
Long Lost Creek
Looking into the Long Lost Creek watershed (7753'). Mt. Breitenbach and the Lost River Crest are in the background. The Massacre Mountain Loop begins here. This 16.5 mile loop is not for large or heavily loaded bikes. Mile 424.
Dry Creek
Castle Peak
Looking down into Long Lost Creek 5 miles onto the Massacre Mountain Loop (8416'). Massacre Mountain is on the left and Castle Peak is in the center background. Mile 430.
Massacre Mountain Loop
Massacre Mountain Loop
A sample of the narrow and rocky single track on the Massacre Mountain Loop.  Mile 431.
Massacre Mountain Loop
Massacre Mountain Loop
Mile 432.
Dry Creek to Burnt Creek
Swauger Lake
Approaching Swauger Lake (9613'). One of the highest elevations on the Tour. Mile 433.


Massacre Mountain Loop
Dry Creek
A mile below Swauger Lake (8942'). The peak in the background is 11,500' in height and is so homely by Lost River Range standards that it doesn't even merit a name.  Mile 436.
Burnt Creek
Burnt Creek/Dry Creek
Little Lost River Valley. Mile 437. 
Burnt Creek
Pahsimeroi River
Approaching the Lost River Crest from the east in the just south of Mt. Borah (12,662'), the tallest peak in Idaho (just visible on the right). The unnamed peak in the background is around 11,000'. Mile 457.

Video: Noodling through Donkey Hills. (0.5 MB .wmv)
West Fork Pahsemori River
Pahsimeroi Valley
The Pahsimeroi Valley. Mile 463.

Video: Doublespring Pass Road at a brisk pace. (1 MB .wmv)
Grouse Creek
Pahsimeroi Crest
Looking east into Pahsimeroi Valley. Mile 464
Trail Creek
Mt. Borah
Rainbow over Mt. Borah (12,662') from near Willow Creek Summit (6500'). Mile 475.
Rainbow over Borah
Road Creek
Road Creek (8267'). The East Fork of the Salmon and the White Cloud Mountains are in the background. Mile 495.
Road Creek
Little Boulder Creek
Spectacular scenery along the Little Boulder Creek single track trail (7100'). White Cloud Mountains. Mile 530.






Little Boulder Creek Trail White Clouds
Chinese Wall
Looking west toward Chinese Wall from the top of Railroad Ridge, the high point of the Tour at 10,400'. Mile 543.






Chinese Wall
French Creek
Rocky single track descent into into French Creek (7200'). Mile 553. 
French Creek
French Creek
The single track trail along French Creek (7100'). Mile 554.
French Creek
Squaw Creek
Heading up Squaw Creek  (7000'). Mile 568.

Squaw Creek
Twin Peaks Lookout
The view from Twin Peaks Lookout (10330'). The second point of the Tour above 10000'. Mile 615.






Twin Peak LO
Camas Creek
Near the top of the Eddy Creek/Camas Creek single track (7000').  Mile 635.
Camas Creek
Gooseberry Creek
Riding high ridges above Gooseberry Creek (7291'). Mile 645.
Morgan Creek
Salmon River
Crossing the Pine Creek Bridge (4298') over the Salmon River a few miles below Shoup. Mile 785.
Salmon River
NFD 038
The spectacular 4200' climb from the Salmon River at Shoup to the Montana border (7000').  Mile 795.
Leaving Shoup
Beartrap Ridge
NFD 044 along the Idaho-Montana border (8230'). The Salmon River valley is in the background. Twin Peaks, where you were a day ealier, is in the distant background.  Mile 798.
Above Shoup
Midnight Carburetor Repair
Kim Creek Saddle (6000'). Smack dab in the middle of the largest contiguous wilderness in the lower 48 and 80 miles from the nearest outpost. Kim Creek Saddle is very cold after dark every month of the year. It is home to many large, curious and hungry carnivores. It is entirely possible to rebuild the carb of an XR600R at night with a flashlight and a Leatherman tool if one's motivation is sufficiently high.  Mile 876.
Magruder Midnight Repair
Magruder Saddle
The beginning of the "primitive road" section of the Nez Perce Trail in the Magruder Corridor (7040'). Mile 878.
Magruder
Salmon Mountain
The top of the 4000' climb from Magruder Crossing in the headwaters of the Selway River to Salmon Mountain (8228'), the high point of the Magruder Corridor. Mile 881.





Salmon Mountain
Dry Saddle
The vista from Dry Saddle (7796'). Beyond Dry Saddle the Nez Perce trail descends some 2700' in just 7 miles to Poet Creek.  Mile 896. 
Magruder
NFD 443
Beginning the long descent into the Selway River Valley at Horse Creek (5400'). Three miles beyond this point the road ends and a spectacular road descends nearly 4000' to the Selway River valley in less than 5 miles. Mile 959.
Selway
Selway Falls
Nearing Selway Falls (2000'). Mile 968.
Selway
Fish Butte Trail
Single track trail between Lowell and the Lolo Motorway. Mile 1008.
Fish Butte Trail
Fish Butte Trail
Interesting side hill on Fish Butte Trail (6526'). Mile 1010.

Fish Butte Trail
Lolo Motorway
The view from Indian Grave Peak (6300'). Mile 1045.


Lolo Motorway
Fourth of July Creek Bridge
End of the Windy Ridge Trail, one of the variants of single track trail north of the Lolo Motorway (2476'). Mile 1066.


fourth of july creek bridge
Fly Hill
NFD 715 on Fly Hill (6074') nearing the headwaters of the St. Joe River. Mile 1096.
Gospel Hill
Quartz Creek
From NFD715 near Gospel Hill (6140'). Mile 1105.
Quartz Creek
St. Joe River
The St. Joe River from NFD 320, near Heller Creek and Simmons Ridge Lookout. Mile 1125. 





St. Joe River
State Line Trail
Spectacular scenery abounds along NFD 391, the State Line Trail, here near Craddock Peak (6518').  Mile 1150.






State Line Road
Roland Pass
An old railroad bridge viewed from Cliff Creek road near Roland (5309') (4500'). Mile 1178. 
Bridge Wallace
Moon Pass Area
Tunnel on Cliff Creek Road, NFD 326 (5000').
Tunnel Wallace
Hoodoo Mountain
Looking north toward Priest River from the summit of Hoodoo Mountain (5119'). Mile 1332.
Tower Mountain
Upper Priest Lake
A few miles south of the end of T1 on road 1013 (4000'). Mile 1418.
Near the end
End of the line
A few miles south of the Canadian Border (4184'). Mile 1433.
The End
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