MotorcycleJazz - Tour of

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.

Maintaining this site requires a lot of work and expense. If you would like to support the Tour of Idaho and this site please consider making a secure donation via Paypal.

We recommend KLIM gear, the best there is, for the Tour of Idaho.
Interested in the Tour but unsure of your ability? Check out Jimmy Lewis Off-Road.
The best food for the Tour.

Get your MotorcycleJazz/KLIM/Tour of Idaho jersey right here. $109.99 for a KLIM Mojave Pro, in gray, with logos and graphics! Free shipping to the continental USA (all others please inquire before ordering). Delivery: June 2013

Idaho-Utah Border Jenkins Hollow (5762'). Mile 0.
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.
Oxford Ridge Beginning the spectacular climb up Oxford Ridge. Mile 30.
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 Basin Oxford Basin in the fall (7000'). Mile 40.
Sedgwick Peak Descending from the summit of Sedgwick Peak (9167') along the Portneuf Range Crest toward Lava Hot Springs. Mile 72.
Inkom Pass Cresting the knoll above Inkom Pass (7500') along the Portneuf Range Crest, Mile 100.
Chinese Peak/Scout Mountain Looking south toward Scout Mountain (8700') from Chinese Peak (6459') near the top of Blackrock Canyon. Mile 125.

Arbon Valley Lusk Loop, Arbon Valley (5415'). Mile 158.
Rockland Valley Approaching Rockland Valley (4872'). Mile 177.
Flint Canyon Flint Canyon, Sublett Range (5563'). Mile 187.
Desert Vista Challenge point near Fall Creek. Mile 205.
Fall Creek Looking north toward the Snake River from Fall Creek (4600') in the northern Sublett Range. Mile 207.
American Falls Just west of American Falls on the south side of the Snake River (4417'). Mile 229.
Sand Whoops Trail West of American Falls, on the north side of the Snake River. Thirty miles of sand, dunes and whoops. Mile 240.
Sand Dunes Just west of Bonanza Lake. Mile 250.
Gasten-Beattie Well Middle of nowhere, Snake River desert. Mile 300.
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.
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 Lost River The view north toward King Mountain, 20 miles west of Big Southern Butte. Mile 360.
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 Pass Road Approaching Beverland Pass. Mile 375.
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.
Pass Creek Entering Pass Creek Canyon (6222'). Pass Creek road climbs 7 miles to Pass Creek Summit at an elevation of 7722'. Mile 401.
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.
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 A sample of the narrow and rocky single track on the Massacre Mountain Loop. Mile 431.
Massacre Mountain Loop Mile 432.
Swauger Lake Approaching Swauger Lake (9613'). One of the highest elevations on the Tour. Mile 433.
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/Dry Creek Little Lost River Valley. Mile 437.
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)
Pahsimeroi Valley The Pahsimeroi Valley. Mile 463. Video: Doublespring Pass Road at a brisk pace. (1 MB .wmv)
Pahsimeroi Crest Looking east into Pahsimeroi Valley. Mile 464
Mt. Borah Rainbow over Mt. Borah (12,662') from near Willow Creek Summit (6500'). Mile 475.
Road Creek Road Creek (8267'). The East Fork of the Salmon and the White Cloud Mountains are in the background. Mile 495.
Little Boulder Creek Spectacular scenery along the Little Boulder Creek single track trail (7100'). White Cloud Mountains. Mile 530.
Chinese Wall Looking west toward Chinese Wall from the top of Railroad Ridge, the high point of the Tour at 10,400'. Mile 543.
French Creek Rocky single track descent into into French Creek (7200'). Mile 553.
French Creek The single track trail along French Creek (7100'). Mile 554.
Squaw Creek Heading up Squaw Creek (7000'). Mile 568.
Twin Peaks Lookout The view from Twin Peaks Lookout (10330'). The second point of the Tour above 10000'. Mile 615.
Camas Creek Near the top of the Eddy Creek/Camas Creek single track (7000'). Mile 635.
Gooseberry Creek Riding high ridges above Gooseberry Creek (7291'). Mile 645.
Salmon River Crossing the Pine Creek Bridge (4298') over the Salmon River a few miles below Shoup. Mile 785.
NFD 038 The spectacular 4200' climb from the Salmon River at Shoup to the Montana border (7000'). Mile 795.
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.
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 Saddle The beginning of the "primitive road" section of the Nez Perce Trail in the Magruder Corridor (7040'). Mile 878.
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.
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.
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 Falls Nearing Selway Falls (2000'). Mile 968.
Fish Butte Trail Single track trail between Lowell and the Lolo Motorway. Mile 1008.
Fish Butte Trail Interesting side hill on Fish Butte Trail (6526'). Mile 1010.
Lolo Motorway The view from Indian Grave Peak (6300'). Mile 1045.
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.
Fly Hill NFD 715 on Fly Hill (6074') nearing the headwaters of the St. Joe River. Mile 1096.
Quartz Creek From NFD715 near Gospel Hill (6140'). Mile 1105.
St. Joe River The St. Joe River from NFD 320, near Heller Creek and Simmons Ridge Lookout. Mile 1125.
State Line Trail Spectacular scenery abounds along NFD 391, the State Line Trail, here near Craddock Peak (6518'). Mile 1150.
Roland Pass An old railroad bridge viewed from Cliff Creek road near Roland (5309') (4500'). Mile 1178.
Moon Pass Area Tunnel on Cliff Creek Road, NFD 326 (5000').
Hoodoo Mountain Looking north toward Priest River from the summit of Hoodoo Mountain (5119'). Mile 1332.
Upper Priest Lake A few miles south of the end of T1 on road 1013 (4000'). Mile 1418.
End of the line A few miles south of the Canadian Border (4184'). Mile 1433.