Lookout Pass, Idaho, United States

51BVISailor 5:00 PM May 30, 2013

Hiawatha Trail is Truly the Holy Grail of Scenic Biking Trails
Traveling with our two daughters from Texas in our RV. Late spring visit. May 31. First of all don't expect much in the way of signage or customer service when you find the trail or lodge. I had to call for directions and I had printed off the website details before trying to find out where I was supposed to be. The lodge is kind of run down and the folks inside (with a couple of exceptions) aren't too excited that you are there - and we were the only ones there! Wow - how do you handle a crowd? Biking folks are better than the restaurant / gift shop folks at noticing customers, but it still is not a convincingly genuine welcome. Bring your own food for the trail and you will be better off. Angus burger is a joke in the lodge and the grilled chicken is just a frozen treat. Worst failing of the "lodge" is the lack of any interesting or quality merchandise. A pin or two, some cheap bags, a few bad T shirts in errant sizes - this is really a pathetic gift shop and that is at the START of the season. What a lost revenue opportunity! The boys in the lodge might be a few sandwiches short of a picnic since no one even wanted to take an offer on giving us a ride back (what they normally do but on weekends only, until mid June when they are in full swing). Since we were there on a Thursday - there was no shuttle service. WOW guys you turned down the 50 to 100 bucks I would have been willing to pay to be picked up at the end of the trail and instead made me and my young family (7 and 9 year old girls) ride 10 miles down and 10 miles back up the trail to get back (the recommended shortened version). Did not even attempt to be interested in making 3 or 4 times as much as sitting in the lodge 'on the clock". Didn't even allow the offer!!! STUPID. So we spent 7 hours getting down the trail and back! Thanks - put us right at the limit of collapse for our two girls. Would have been great to bike down (1.7% declining grade on the way down - supposed to get picked up at the end - yes that would have been great but instead we had to pedal back - not too tough unless you are a little kid). Survived in tact thanks to lots of snacks and stretch breaks and my wife - and some tough Texas girls. I wouldn't try it otherwise. Now on to the trail - One of the most memorable times with my family in recent memory. Great trail. Exciting views and excellent historical markers and info. Tunnels were fascinating! Views were stupendous! Thanks to whom ever put this together and maintains it. Get some better lodge staff and real merchandise - you could have made $150 on my family if you put the gift shop at the end of the trail and had real merchandise and staff that cared. Woops!? Hints: Water, jacket (it gets hot and very cold a couple of times in the same day), snacks, food, sunglasses, sunscreen and a good headlight is manditory.

4Jeff B 5:00 PM Dec 30, 2012

Lookout all grown up
New lift opens up a ton more terrain and alot more vertical. Best place to go when the powders deep! Next year when they open another chair will have as much terrain as Schweitzer! Have Fun!