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There is some really fine single track riding on Mt. Coeur d'Alene. FTTRC is hoping to build a relationship with the Forest Service to develop the trail system there.
Note on Trail 79, Cariboo Ridge: this trail is for experts only, and is in fact not recommended for any but the most skilled riders. The top three miles are beautiful singletrack trail; the rest of the trail is built into a cliff with a very narrow tread with disintegrating corners, extreme exposure, with a high penalty for failure.
Trail 257, short version: Take Wolf Lodge exit, drive S on the 97, go 2 miles to Forest Rd. 438, Beauty Creek Rd. Go 2.7 miles past the campground to the bottom of 257. Look for a little parking area on the right, trail drops off to the left into the creek. Short version ride takes the forest road up the canyon and around to the top of the trail, approximately 6.5 miles. This is a nice easy dirt road spin. Trail turns off to the right, and is a great singletrack descent, approximately 2.5 miles in length. Total length of ride 9 miles, intermediate riding.
Mt. Coeur d’Alene trails 227 and 257, long version:
Drive to Beauty Bay on Lake Coeur d’Alene. Park at Beauty Bay
campground. Elevation 2150’. Ride up paved road 2.6 miles, elev
2600’and find a small parking area on left side of road. On right
side find trail 257 dropping into creek. Climb single track thru woods
to an abandoned logging road crossing,at 4.2 miles, elev 3280’.
Turn left on road, ride about 150’; before small stream turn right
back on ST. Climb to road 439 intersection where trail Turn right on
road, ignore 2 logging spurs coming in from the right. At first left
turn, mile 6.6, elev 4130’, turn left towards hidden summit. At
mile 7.0, elev 4350’, turn right on single track just before clearing
at summit. Descend to junction with trail 79 and 227at 7.2 mile, 4220’
elev. Turn left on trail 227. At 8.1,elev 3640’, cross first logging
road. If you want to climb out to avoid the climb out of the “hole”
and go back to descend trail 257, turn left and ride the logging road
system up and out. Make no turns off this road as it is the major uphill
road, the spurs lead off into logging units. Once up on the ridge, go
thru open or closed and over or around the sometimes present Kelly bumps.
At the first left turn, road 439, turn left and ride short distance
to intersection with trail 257. Continue the descent to the “hole”
by jogging left on the logging road and making an immediate right turn
at the edge of a clear cut climbing on a beat up quad trail.
At 8.7 mile, elev 3550’, cross an overgrown logging road.
Drop to elev 3490’, and cross another logging road, make a left
and quick right.
At 9.5 mile, elev 2960’, cross a logging road. If you want to
ride logging roads back to trail 257, this is the last uphill road out.
Otherwise continue downhill.
At 9.7 mile, elev 2810, cross a logging road and begin a steep preferred
hike a bike drop.
At 10.0 mile, elev 2570’, intersect with trail 257 in the “hole”.
There are several trails that come together here. Take the left most
hand turn and start climb out. 257 climbs mostly all ridable grade.
At 12.7 mile, elev 3750’, intersect logging road. Turn left.
At 12.9 mile turn right on road 439.
At 13.1mile, elev 3700’, turn right on trail 257 retracing original
climb.
At 15.2 mile intersect Beauty Creek rd. Turn left and coast back to
campground at 17.8 miles.
Total elevation climb is 3540’.
Elevations are relative and are for reference only. (C. Bierly)