The Plummer-to-Mullan Rail Trail Is Made for Long Easy Days

A wide ribbon of pavement carries walkers, cyclists, runners and skaters for more than 70 miles between Plummer and the eastern end near Mullan. It is a route built for settling into a comfortable rhythm: smooth under wheels, generally gentle in grade, and long enough to turn a quick afternoon outing into a true point-to-point adventure.

The surface is notably well maintained, with relatively few of the root bumps that can make a paved trail unexpectedly tiring. A casual stroller can take in a short section from a trailhead, while a cyclist can keep rolling for hours without constantly negotiating road traffic or rough ground.

Water is a recurring companion here. The route moves through lake country, crosses memorable bridges, slips into shaded stretches and later follows the Coeur d'Alene River for miles. Some segments run nearer roads, but long portions leave that feeling behind and grow quieter.

Plummer is a practical place to begin, with reported free parking, bathrooms and a nearby park around the trailhead area. It works nicely for someone who wants to see the beginning of the route without committing to a big mileage day.

The opening miles from Plummer go downhill, an easy detail to overlook when the day is young and the pavement is inviting. Turn around for the return ride and that same section becomes an uphill finish. It is not a mountain climb, but it is one of the route’s more noticeable changes in grade.

Several trailheads along the way allow the route to be broken into manageable pieces. A marina near mile 7.2 is another possible launch point, with a bridge crossing and shaded sections nearby. That flexibility gives the trail room to serve both a one-hour walk and an all-day ride.

The Plummer-to-Harrison stretch is widely favored for its scenery, and it gives a good taste of the trail’s larger landscape. Lake views open up between wooded and shaded portions, with broad surrounding-country views appearing as the route changes character.

For many riders, this is an out-and-back day. Depending on the exact turnaround point, the trip is commonly around 30 to 34 miles round trip. The mileage is substantial enough to feel satisfying, while the smooth pavement and restrained grades keep it from becoming a technical undertaking.

Bridge crossings give the route some of its best pauses. The Chatcolet bridge is a particularly enjoyable section, and another bridge carries travelers across the lake. After one lake crossing, the trail becomes especially flat, inviting a long, steady stretch of pedaling or skating.

Harrison makes a natural mid-route break. Restaurants, stores and an ice cream shop sit close to the trail, so a long ride can include lunch or a cone without a complicated detour.

The public beach and swimming access are also near the route. On a warm day, the town provides an appealing change of pace from the saddle: a meal, a bit of browsing, or time by the water before heading back out.

Cyclists can also find a bike shop with an espresso bar in Harrison. It is a small, useful touch on a trail where a coffee stop and a bit of bike-oriented help can be welcome in the same place.

Beyond Harrison, much of the route follows the Coeur d'Alene River. The lake-side openness gives way to a different sort of water scenery, with river views accompanying many miles of travel.

This is where the trail can seem farther removed from everyday traffic. It is not uniformly remote, and conditions vary by section, but there are stretches where the quiet is a notable feature of the outing.

Early starts tend to offer the lightest trail use. Later in the day, the shared route naturally brings together cyclists, walkers, runners, dog walkers, skaters and people who have come simply to watch birds.

The trail has plenty to look at beyond the pavement. Moose and deer are among the larger animals that may appear, while bald eagles, geese, turtles, frogs, chipmunks and many smaller birds add movement to the water and woods.

Wildlife is never an appointment on a schedule, of course. Still, the quieter sections reward an unhurried pace, and attentiveness matters around animals such as moose and deer.

A sculpture and memorial along one section offer a pause of a different kind. They add a human note to a route otherwise defined by water, trees, open views and the steady progress of an old rail corridor.

Benches, picnic tables and designated pause points are distributed along the route, making it easy to break a ride into pleasant pieces. A rest area includes picnic tables, bathrooms and a bike-repair station—useful facilities when the plan is to be out for most of the day.

Restrooms appear at intervals, with some sections offering them every three to five miles. The spacing is not identical across the full route, and some are rustic composting toilets rather than conventional facilities, but the trail is not a bare-bones ride.

Motorized vehicles are not allowed on the trail, and road crossings are generally few. For cyclists especially, that means long runs of uninterrupted movement instead of a stop-and-start sequence of intersections.

Bikes may be the most obvious match for a paved route of this length, but the trail accommodates a broad mix of low-key outdoor pursuits. Walking, running, birdwatching, dog walking and skating all fit comfortably into its wide, smooth corridor.

The gentle profile helps make the trail approachable without making it dull. Most of it is flat or gently rolling, though riders should expect roughly 3% grades in the opening Plummer section and in some areas near the route’s ends.

For a bigger undertaking, the full route can support a multi-day trip. A skating group has made a camping journey along the entire trail an annual outing, a good indication of how much this long paved corridor invites travelers to think beyond a single afternoon.

The trail can be ridden as an out-and-back route or as a point-to-point trip, but a long day requires a little forethought about transportation, a turnaround and any overnight stop. Near Plummer, it also connects with the Palouse to Cascades Trail, offering an additional longer-distance option into Washington.

Water is the main thing not to treat casually. Freshwater refill opportunities are limited along the route, so carrying enough for the planned distance is important, especially on a long ride or skating day.

Cell service can be spotty in the more remote sections and tends to be more reliable near highways or major roads. The payoff for that occasional disconnect is a trail that leaves plenty of room for a bench break, a bridge view, a riverbank bird or another smooth mile of pavement.