Pend Oreille Bay Trail

After completing the Long Bridge Trail, I took a short ride through the town of Sandpoint to the trail head of the Pend Oreille Bay Trail.  This turned out to be a beautiful ride along the shore, much of it covered in the shady canopy of the trees.  The trail is about 3 miles round-trip, and although it is unpaved, it is very smooth and easily ridable (or walkable, for that matter).  Here's a GPS of the trail.

From the trail head, heading north along the bay.

Into the shady canopy. There were a couple benches along the way to relax and enjoy the view.

End of the line. About 1.5 miles north, you reach private property.

Heading back, with the lake on the left. It was a very pleasant ride all the way.

Took a little detour afterward to the active Sandpoint train station.

Long Bridge Trail

The city of Sandpoint, in the Idaho panhandle, is situated at the north end of Lake Pend Oreille, where the lake then feeds into the Pend Oreille River.  I picked out a couple trails that each start near the downtown area - the Long Bridge Trail and the Pend Oreille Bay Trail.  I'll cover the Long Bridge Trail this time, and the Bay Trail next time.  Here's a GPS trace of the route.

Summary

Also known as the Serenity Lee Trail, this trail crosses a 2-mile bridge that parallels US highway 95.  The bridge itself has quite a history - you can read about it, and see old photos, here.  Although listed as a Rail Trail on TrailLink.com, it is not.  Starting from the north, it does parallel the BNSF Railroad, but it soon diverges as they each cross the water.

I was pleased to find parking in the designated lot.  The bathrooms were open and clean.

Heading south, the railroad diverges from the trail.  There was a lot of rail activity on this day.

Along the shore just south of Sandpoint, ID.

The Long Bridge, which was the old US 95 until they built the new bridge along side.

Looking east, you can see the BNSF railroad bridge in the distance, spanning the bay.

After crossing the bridge, there was a bit of hill-and-dale, with open space on the left.  US 95, on the right, was usually a comfortable distance away.

A fairly typical view looking east, with the Cabinet Mountains in the distance.

Another very nice view looking east.

The trail ends in Sagle, ID (about 5 miles south of Sandpoint) at the Java Bear Espresso.

North Idaho Centennial Trail

Overview

The North Idaho Centennial Trail is a 24 mile rail-trail conversion that was dedicated as part of Idaho's centennial celebration.  It stretches from Higgins Point on the east side to the Washington-Idaho border on the west, where it ultimately connects to Washington's Spokane River Centennial Trail (which I rode back in 2016).  Washington became a state in 1889, and Idaho in 1890, and the trails were a cooperative project to connect the states.  Here's a little history with some cool photos.

I'm still trying to confirm the railways involved here.  The NICT Foundation website says the bridge at the state line was "built around 1910 by the Milwaukee Railroad" (formally the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad, commonly known as the Milwaukee Road).  On the Washington side, however, the trail reportedly consists of remnants of the Spokane & Inland Empire Railroad Company and Great Northern Railway (TrailLink.com, Centennial Trail State Park, Washington).

I had previously thought the Milwaukee Road only passed to the south of Spokane and Coeur d'Alene.  However, after a little review, it appears that they added a 'spur' from Plummer, ID, north all the way to Metaline Falls, WA (at the Canadian border) for mining purposes.  They also shared the Union Depot (in downtown Spokane) with the Union Pacific Railroad, and maps show a spur heading east from Spokane to Coeur d'Alene.  I presume this lead to the construction of the bridge.

As much as I prefer the 'wilderness', sometimes civilization cannot be avoided.  This trail passes through the heart of Coeur d'Alene, and continuing west, follows Interstate 90.  So for this ride, I chose to start at the east trailhead, at Higgins Point, in hopes of getting more lakeside views and less I-90 views.  I rode about 10 miles west to where the lake feeds into the Spokane River, then turned around.

Related Links

• Maplorer link to the westward half of the ride.
• Link to the trail on the TrailLink website.

Photos

Heading east from Higgins Point, the path follows E Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive.

Passing along-side the Veterans Memorial Centennial Bridge (Interstate 90).

From here you can see the trail below from the trail above.

As you reach Coeur d'Alene, watch for this sign (at Mullan Avenue).  The trail follows side streets for just over a mile, and if you miss this turn (as I did), you're off the trail and on to sidewalks.

The trail passes through downtown Coeur d'Alene, the City Park, and North Idaho College.

Further west, looking back at the Coeur d'Alene Resort and Marina.

My turn-around point, where the north end of Lake Coeur d'Alene becomes the Spokane River.

As I return to Higgins Point, the sun is casting it's reflection off the lake.

Sammamish Lake / River Trails

I was in Seattle this weekend for the Opening Day for Trails.

Seattle consistently ranks as one of the top cities in the U.S. for bicycling, and western Washington offers many opportunities for cycling when it comes to rail-trailing. Of course, due to the population of the area, these trails are less Wilderness Riding and more Recreational/Commuter riding. I spent some time on each of two connected trails - the East Sammamish Lake Trail, and the Sammamish River Trail.

East Sammamish Lake Trail
Like many names in the Northwest, Sammamish is derived from the name of the Native American people that once occupied this area, predominantly at the north end of the lake, where it flows into the river. The eastern shore of the lake is now lined with homes, and much of the trail runs along a corridor between rows of homes. although it is still a pleasant route, there are few unobstructed views of the lake.  The short of is that if I lived in the area, I would use the trail for commuting or evening strolls, but I would not recommend this as must-see trail. I turned around half-way through and drove north to the River Trail.

There's construction going on at the south end of the trail (starting at NW Gilman Blvd) and you can't get on the trail there. Instead, drive north from I-90 to the entrance of Lake Sammamish State Park. You can park here for free if you have a Washington Discover Pass, or $10 otherwise.

Much of the trail is gravel, although not unbearable. The lake is to the left, with housing on both sides.

This picture was taken over the top of the fence to get a clearer view of the lake.

There were some nice stretches where you might forget that you're in a residential area. (but not many  ;-)

Sammamish River Trail
The Sammamish River Trail is best classified as a Greenway, used heavily by commuters and recreators alike. Starting at Marymoor Park on the south end, it passes through Redmond, and continues north to Woodinville. In what is perhaps typical Seattle style, there were quite a few people out and about, even with the persistent drizzle. People here just go on living their lives, undaunted by the rain.

Heading north through Redmond, the trail passes through housing and business parks.  Perhaps because of the more open feel, I found this trail much more pleasant than the Lake trail.

A trestle remaining from a Burlington Northern right-of-way is now being repurposed as the Redmond Central Connector trail, connecting the Sammamish River Trail to the Bear Creek Trail.

Much of the trail is actually a levee resulting from a straightening of the river (in the 1960's) in an effort to make it more navigable.

I noticed the Windmill as I was returning to the park.  I learned that this was once part of the estate from which Marymoor Park was purchased.