A classic streetcar is part of the Sierra Silver Mine Tour: the round trip to the mine includes a narrated tour of Historic Wallace. At the silver mine, a retired miner leads visitors through the underground workings. Schedules may change, so check dates before making plans.
Trails Through Landscape and History
The 73-mile paved Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes crosses Idaho’s Panhandle between Mullan and Plummer. In its middle section, it follows the Coeur d’Alene River and passes fifteen small lakes and wetlands. This provides a clear picture of the trail’s length, surface, and route.
The Route of the Hiawatha offers a different kind of trail: the former railroad line has been converted into a 15-mile, downhill bike and walking trail. The route includes ten tunnels, including the 1.6-mile St. Paul Pass Tunnel, as well as seven high trestle bridges. Shuttle buses take users and their bicycles back uphill to the starting point. Unlike the paved Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, the experience here is shaped by the former rail line, tunnels, and bridges.
For a shorter stated distance, the two-mile Pulaski Tunnel Trail leads to a viewpoint across the creek from the Nicholson Mine adit. Comparing the trails helps you choose based on specific features: distance and pavement on the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, tunnels and trestle bridges on the Hiawatha, or the viewpoint at the end of the Pulaski Tunnel Trail.
Seasonal Experiences in the Silver Valley
The Interstate 90 corridor in Shoshone County is also known as the Silver Valley. In Kellogg, Silver Mountain Resort is located right off Interstate 90. Skiing is available there in the winter months, and lift-served mountain biking is offered in summer. The gondola travels 3.1 miles from Kellogg to the Mountain House. Groups and individuals can also take ski or snowboard lessons at Lookout Pass. The programs accommodate all ages and ability levels; offerings may change.
Snowmobile trails in the Silver Valley include more than 1,000 miles of groomed routes, with access points from Kingston to Mullan. Conditions and grooming vary by season. In the warmer months, many of these routes provide access to backcountry hiking, camping, and fishing; seasonal conditions also change. The mountains of the Silver Valley are home to 40 alpine lakes. Those considering different seasons will find a clear contrast between winter riding and the activities many routes provide access to in the warmer months.
Mining Above and Below Ground
The Sierra Silver Mine Tour combines a visit to a working silver mine with a streetcar ride and a narrated tour of Historic Wallace. In Kellogg, the Crystal Gold Mine is 900 feet underground. Its guided underground tour covers historic hand-drilling methods and how quartz veins were explored using methods from the 1880s. The mine also offers gold panning and provides the necessary tools. Availability may vary, so it’s a good idea to check on this offering before your visit.
Museums offer further insights into the region’s mining history: the Shoshone County Mining and Smelting Museum introduces the Bunker Hill Mine & Smelter complex. In Wallace, the Wallace District Mining Museum is a visitor attraction, as is the Northern Pacific Railroad Museum. North of Wallace, in the Silver Valley, is the historic heritage site of Burke Ghost Town and Historical Mine Site.
Missions, Museums, and Places in the Region
The Coeur d’Alene’s Old Mission State Park is home to Idaho’s oldest building: the Mission of the Sacred Heart, built by Catholic missionaries and members of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe between 1850 and 1853. The park also includes Sacred Heart Mission Church, a restored Parish House, and a historic cemetery. Rangers offer tours of the historic church; check the current schedule before visiting. The visitor center’s exhibit, “Sacred Encounters: Father De Smet & the Indians of the Rocky Mountain West,” offers another way to learn about the site’s history.
The Captain John Mullan Museum is located in Mullan’s former Liberty Theater. Its collection includes historic furnishings and clothing, photographs, newspapers, and mining objects, as well as memorabilia from local schools, sports, fire departments, and drugstores. Visitors can also see a piece of the tree in which John Mullan carved an inscription at Fourth of July Pass. In Murray, the Sprag Pole Museum dates back to 1933, when Walt Almquist bought the Murray building.
The Historic Wallace Photo Museum features exhibits on snow avalanches, famous women, parade cars and floats, underground mining, and portraits. In Wallace, the Center of the Universe is located at the corner of Bank Street and Sixth Street. In Avery, the Historic Avery Train Depot Museum and Community Center is a historic visitor attraction in the Silver Valley. These places add railroad, local, and exhibition history to the mining and museum themes.
Discover more destinations: Kellogg, Mullan, Wallace, Latah County, Bonner County, Lemhi County, Teton County, Owyhee.
For the main travel overview: Idaho.
