MotorcycleJazz - Tour of

The Tour of Idaho

The Tour of Idaho (T1) is a 1370-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 the most difficult long dirt bike ride in the United States. Street legal dirt bikes 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). 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. The Tour encompasses extremes of elevation (1486' at Lowell to 10,420' at Railroad Ridge) and climate. Technical challenges include mud, snow, extensive singletrack and atv trails, 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.

The Tour is generally passable by mid July and remains open through early October during most years. There is a distinct possibility of blistering heat, brutal cold and deluges of rain or snow along the entire route (often within just a few hours) during the entire riding season. As ofthe Tour is closed until the 2012 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 also a 500 mile dual sport friendly East-West Tour of Idaho known as T2. More related reading: TID 2008, TID 2010, Go West Young Man, Sunglasses at Night, Utah to Wallace in 32 hours.

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 descibed it.

Maitaining 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.

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 20.
Oxford Ridge Beginning the spectacular climb up Oxford Ridge. Mile 30. Video: Oxford Ridge (114 MB .mp4)
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. Video: Oxford Basin - begins from this point on the ridge. (394 MB .mp4)
Sedgwick Peak Descending from the summit of Sedgwick Peak (9167') along the Portneuf Range Crest toward Lava Hot Springs. Mile 67.
Chinese Peak/Scout Mountain Looking south toward Scout Mountain (8700') from Chinese Peak (6459') near the top of Blackrock Canyon. Mile 126.

Arbon Valley Lusk Loop, Arbon Valley (5415'). Mile 160.
Rockland Valley Approaching Rockland Valley (4872'). Mile 175.
Flint Canyon Flint Canyon, Sublett Range (5563'). Mile 180. Video: Flint Canyon. (275 MB .mp4)
Fall Creek Looking north toward the Snake River from Fall Creek (4600') in the northern Sublett Range. Mile 195.
American Falls Just west of American Falls (4417'). Mile 215.
Goodale's Cutoff - Oregon Trail 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 260. Video: Approaching Big Southern Butte at a leisurely pace. (1 MB .wmv)
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 275. Video: Descending Big Southern Butte on a spectacularly clear day. (237 MB .wmv)
Big Lost River The view north toward King Mountain 20 miles west of Big Southern Butte. Mile 295.
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 315.
Arco Pass Road Approaching Arco Pass. There are a couple of Tour variants in this area. One goes north over Arco Pass and up the Little Lost River valley east of King Mountain, the other goes west over Beverland Pass into the Lost River Valley. The former is all dirt, the latter is a little more scenic. Mile 320.
Arco Pass Arco Pass Road winds it's way north along the eastern slopes of the Lost River Range through the Little Lost River Valley.
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 330.
Pass Creek Entering Pass Creek Canyon (6222'). Pass Creek road climbs 7 miles to Pass Creek Summit at an elevation of 7722'. Mile 350.
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 375.
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 380.
Massacre Mountain Loop A sample of the narrow and rocky single track on the Massacre Mountain Loop. Mile 381.
Massacre Mountain Loop Would you like some steep with your rocks? Mile 381.
Swauger Lake Approaching Swauger Lake (9613'). One of the highest elevation encountered in the Tour. Mile 385. Video: Massacre Mountain Loop (above the single track). (39 MB .mp4)
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 387.
Burnt Creek/Dry Creek Little Lost River Valley. Mile 387.
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 410. Video: Noodling through Donkey Hills. (0.5 MB .wmv)
Pahsimeroi Valley The Pahsimeroi Valley. Mile 425. Video: Doublespring Pass Road at a brisk pace. (1 MB .wmv)
Pahsimeroi Crest Looking east into Pahsimeroi Valley.
Mt. Borah Rainbow over Mt. Borah (12,662') from near Willow Creek Summit (6500').
Road Creek Pass on Road Creek (8267'). The East Fork of the Salmon and the White Cloud Mountains are in the background. Mile 450.
Chinese Wall Looking west toward Chinese Wall from the top of Railroad Ridge, the high point of the Tour at 10,400'. Mile 480. Video: Livingstone mine to Chinese Wall. (164 MB .wmv)
French Creek Rocky single track descent into into French Creek (7200'). Mile 490.
French Creek The single track trail along French Creek (7100'). Mile 491.
Twin Peaks Lookout The view from Twin Peaks Lookout (10330'). The second point of the Tour above 10000'. Mile 550. Video: Descending Twin Peaks LO. (214 MB .mp4)
Morgan Creek Crossing the divide between Darling and Morgan Creek (7291'). Mile 580.
Panther Creek Inn Cobalt, ID (5500') The official middle of nowhere. Mile 620. (Wolves welcome). The Panther Creek Inn is, at the moment, nusquam ut exsisto instituo. An apparent victim of contaminated soil abatement.
Salmon River Crossing the Pine Creek Bridge (4298') over the Salmon River a few miles below Shoup. Mile 650.
NFD 038 The spectacular 4200' climb from the Salmon River at Shoup to the Montana border (7000'). Mile 670.
Beartrap Ridge NFD 044 along the Idaho-Montana border (8230'). The Salmon River valley is in the background. Mile 680.
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 770.
Magruder Saddle The beginning of the "primitive road" section of the Nez Perce Trail in the Magruder Corridor (7040'). Mile 775.
Salmon Mountain The view at 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 780.
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 800.
Elk City Main Street Elk City (4200'). All the comforts of home. Mile 850.
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 double track trail descends nearly 4000' to the Selway River valley in less than 5 miles. Mile 870.
Selway Falls Nearing Selway Falls (2000'). Mile 877.
Pete King Creek Trail The top of the steep, 1500' single track climb out of Pete King Creek (3322') near Higgins Hump (note: Pete King Trail is subject to seasonal closing to motorized travel). Mile 910.
Lolo Motorway Entrance The entrance to NFD 500, the Lolo Motorway, at Canyon Junction (4524'). Mile 940.
Fourth of July Creek This variant of the Tour bypasses the bulk of the Lolo Motorway (NFD 500) and instead goes north to NFD 250 which follows the North Fork of Clearwater river toward the Montana border. It's a shorter and faster way to get to The headwaters of the St. Joe River than the Lolo Motorway but should only be considered by those short on gas or time.
Lolo Motorway The vista at the headwaters of Bald Mountain Creek (6526'). Mile 1000.
Lolo Motorway The view from Indian Grave Peak (6300'). Mile 1010.
Toboggan Ridge Descending Toboggan Hill on NFD 581 (4778') toward Cayuse Creek. Mile 1050.
Fly Hill NFD 715 on Fly Hill (6074') nearing the headwaters of the St. Joe River. Mile 1090.
Quartz Creek From NFD715 near Fly Hill.
State Line Trail Spectacular scenery abounds along NFD 391 near Craddock Peak (6518'). Mile 1150. Video: Montage of State Line Trail and Moon Pass Road - at night! 10,000+ lumens of of HID lighting. (184 MB .mp4)
Moon Pass An old railroad bridge viewed from Cliff Creek road near Roland (5309'), a side trip from NFD 326. Mile 1175.
Moon Pass Tunnel on Cliff Creek Road, NFD 326 (5000').
Hoodoo Mountain Looking north toward Priest River from the summit of Hoodoo Mountain (5119'). Mile 1290.
Upper Priest Lake The Tour ends after 1300 miles in the Selkirk Mountains north of Upper Priest Lake a few miles south of the Canadian Border (4000').