Best Motorcycle Roads and Destinations in Idaho, United States

While it has been referred to as “the Gem State,” Idaho is most associated with potatoes due to having rich and fertile farmlands. While it may not have many of those precious ores left to give merit to its nickname, Idaho is a hidden gem for motorcyclists looking for places to go on an extended motorcycle tour.

Because Idaho is primarily a mountainous region, that means the routes will bend, rise, and fall continuously which will keep your adrenaline pumping. Also, as Idaho has a temperate climate, you can admire different scenery depending on which season you decide to travel through the landscape. You can enjoy the changing of the leaves as you travel along the forest-covered mountains during the colder months. Or you can stop to admire the reflection of the clear sky against the lakes and rivers during the warmer times of the year.

While Idaho has no shortage of homely towns and bright cities to explore, you probably want your trip to be memorable. Luckily, there are plenty of scenic byways, national parks, and popular roads that are well renowned amongst motorcyclists. You just have to know where to find them.

This article will serve as your guide, directing you towards the best roads and destinations in Idaho, United States. 

Distance: 54 miles

Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Start: Orofino

End: Bovill

Upon departing from Orofino, you will follow along the Wells Bench which is dotted by farms and ranches on either side of the road. As you progress, the environment will become dense with evergreen forests. This leg of the journey should be relatively smooth due to the Wells Bench being a paved two-lane path.

If you can see the Dworshak Reservoir, then you have probably found yourself at Dent Bridge, the suspended bridge that will allow you to reach Clearwater County. You should be able to glimpse the peaks of the Clearwater Mountain Range.

As you draw closer to the recreational center known as Elk River, you may want to stop by the Elk River Historical Museum and Elk River Falls to take some pictures. 

Distance: 42 miles

Time: 1 hour 2 minutes

Start: Greer

End: Headquarters

While you are still close to Greer, you can head up to the Greer Grade to take in the beautiful view of the Clearwater Valley. As you continue on Idaho State Highway 11, you will come across the town of Weippe which was the site where Lewis and Clark encountered the Nez Perce Native American during their exploration.

Turning northward, you will reach the town of Pierce which has plenty of historical buildings still standing from the time of the Gold Rush. Pierce has a logging museum, town library, and former Shoshone County Courthouse which will give you a preview of life from more than a century ago.

Distance: 28 miles

Time: 47 minutes

Start: Wolf Lodge

End: Harrison

Riding beside the east coast of Lake Coeur d’Alene, you may catch sight of the boats and the passengers waving at you with small waves crashing around them. While you are not close enough to see if there are fish in the water, you might see deer, elk, moose, and bears.

If you come during the winter months, you will be able to go bird-watching for eagles between Wolf Lodge Bay and Beauty Bay. There is a high probability you will find an osprey flying overhead due to this area hosting the largest population of this bird of prey.

If you wish to get a view of the entire lake, you can travel up to the Mineral Ridge Trail and Trail of the Coeur d’Alene. 

Distance: 217 miles

Time: 4 hours 45 minutes

Start: Lewiston

End: US-12, Lolo, ID 59847

Before you embark from Lewistown, you should park and take pictures of the Tseminicum Sculpture, a bronze statue that depicts imagery based on the Nez Perce Native Americans’ mythology.

As you are riding on what was once the Nez Perce’s territory, you may want to take the opportunity to learn more about the people at the Nez Perce National Historical Park Visitor Center.

If you wish to see a landmark steeped in Nez Perce folklore, visit the rock formation known as the Heart of the Monster close to Kooksia. 

Distance: 29 miles

Time: 37 minutes

Start: Oldpoint

End: Sandpoint

Starting close to the Idaho-Washington border, you will travel alongside the northern coast of the Pend Oreille River. This is ideal for motorcyclists who are interested in getting to know the history of this region of Idaho. You can find the information you are looking for at the preserved downtown of Priest River plus the Historical Museum in Sandpoint.

If you would like to get in touch with nature, this route will allow you to observe the eagles, ospreys, and waterfowl that frequent the area. You can also make out rocky terrain that was formed by the glaciers and floods from Glacial Lake Missoula. 

Distance: 35 miles

Time: 46 minutes

Start: Sandpoint

End: Cabinet

Due to its proximity to Lake Pend Oreille, you will be able to admire the reflective expanse of its watery surface Because your view is not completely obscured by the treeline, you can just make out the farmlands, river deltas, and mountains bordering the twists of the lake.

If you ever need to spend a bit of time off of your motorcycle, the area around this scenic byway provides plenty of activities to do regardless of the season. You can engage in fishing, swimming, or hiking in Clark Fork River during the summer while you can engage in skiing and snowmobiling during the winter at Schweitzer Mountain Resort.

Distance: 105 miles

Time: 2 hours 45 minutes

Start: St. Maries

End: St. Regis

When you start at St. Maries, you may notice small boats pulling out of the harbor into the St. Joe River. Upon your departure, you may get to see the waterfall at Falls Creek and the historic site at Marble Creek.

Upon reaching St. Joe, or “the Joe,” you will get to explore Idaho’s most productive fishery while watching different species of trout jumping out of the river that runs parallel to the road.

Park your motorcycle at Avery to see its museum, former railroad depot, and diner that was formerly a dining train car. You may also discover the pond where all the trout that pass through St. Joe came to rest. 

Distance: 98 miles

Time: 1 hour 48 minutes

Start: Cataldo

End: Potlatch

Before leaving Cataldo, you can visit the Old Mission State Park to see the preserved Mission of the Sacred Heart. Besides the historic building, there are also the Parish House, cemeteries, and hiking trails to explore on foot.

Because the route is close to the lakes and marshlands, you would be able to visit several bodies of water in Idaho simultaneously including the Coeur d’Alene River, the St. Maries River, and the St. Joe River.

Continuing on your way, your motorcycle will have to navigate the rolling hills of the Palouse region. As you draw closer to Potlatch, you will be surrounded by dense rows of white pine trees.

Distance: 59 miles

Time: 1 hour 7 minutes

Start: Sandpoint

End: Port hill

As you leave Sandpoint, you will get to admire the pristine view of Lake Pend Oreille behind you and the cliffs of the Selkirk Mountains as you loop around it.

As you get closer to Bonners Ferry, the road will pass by the Kootenai Valley which was formed by glaciers that disappeared many years ago and left behind examples of the fertile farmland that Idaho is famous for.

Within the same area, there are wilderness areas such as the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge and the McArthur Lake Wildlife Management area where you can engage in bird watching and hiking. 

Distance: 22 miles

Time: 40 minutes

Start: Oxbow Bridge, Oregon

End: Hells Canyon Dam, Idaho

Traveling to Hells Canyon means taking your motorcycle to the deepest gorge in the United States. You will notice the surface on top of the cliffs have a black and greenish tint from the basalt deposits.

If you have a love for vehicles, you may want to ride on a boat floating on the Snake River. You may even catch sight of the local wildlife including mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and bald eagles.

Besides the rock formations in the canyon, the walls are lined with pictographs left there by different Native American tribes including the Nez Perce, the Shoshone, Cayuse, etc.

Distance: 97 miles

Time: 2 hours

Start: Jordan Valley, Oregon

End: Grand View, Idaho

Left largely unchanged since the age of settlement, this byway is reminiscent of the Old West due to the rough terrain and desert scenery. While near Jordan Creek, you will be climbing up rolling hills, passing by hay meadows, and catching sight of juniper trees standing vigilant.

The Owyhee Mountains have red-colored cliff sides with various streams and rivers running below as you hug the trails overlooking them. Despite the desert environment, your eyes may notice the little bit of vegetation nearby including sagebrush and wildflowers. 

Distance: 131 miles

Time: 2 hours 50 minutes

Start: Boise

End: Stanley

Your first destination will take you to Idaho City where you can try and pan for gold just like the old prospectors who were looking to strike it rich.

While you follow alongside the Payette River for some time, eventually you will divert in the direction of Sawtooth Wilderness and Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. Sawtooth Wilderness is full of conifer trees that will blanket your eyes with greenery. Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness is rougher terrain and allows you to survey miles of open ground.

As you near Stanley, you will be able to climb up to the top of Banner Summit and get a good look at the peaks of the Sawtooth Mountains.

Distance: 150 miles

Time: 2 hours 53 minutes

Start: Gibbonsville

End: Stanley

This route starts near the Idaho-Montana border close to the Lost Trail Pass which Lewis and Clark passed through during their exploration. After admiring the view and standing where the explorers did, you will descend till you are parallel with the “River of No Return” or Salmon River.

The scenic byway and Salmon River will both eventually wind through the Salmon-Challis National Forest. If you have sharp eyes, you may get to see the occasional deer, elk, or moose eyeing you from the safety of the trees,

After going through Challis, you will come across the Land of the Yankee Fork Historic Area which was one of Idaho’s mining sites. 

Motorcycles may not be held back by the same limitations as four-wheel vehicles in terms of mobility, but they lack the protective bulk that promotes a driver’s safety. Because the capabilities of motorcycles make them distinct from other motor vehicles , there are additional sets of laws that regulate how riders should act when operating a vehicle, what motorcycle safety gear they need to acquire, and how to care for the condition of their ride.

Depending on the state , the motorcycle laws can be severe about failing to follow the rules due to the risk you place on yourself, your passenger, and those sharing the road. Other times the motorcycle laws do not have specifics and leave it up to the best judgment of the riders.

Listed below are the motorcycle laws in Idaho that you need to memorize to make the best of your trip to Idaho. 

Unless you are a legal adult, you are required to wear a motorcycle helmet that meets the safety standards set by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The motorcycle helmet models that you should pick must either be a half helmet, a three-quarter helmet, or a full-face helmet. Check the surface or interior of the motorcycle helmet you choose for a DOT sticker to confirm it is approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation. 

A motorcycle cannot just be maneuverable and fast. It must also be designed to keep you safe regardless of the conditions on Idaho freeways. To do so, your motorcycle must be installed with safety features that increase your visibility to both pedestrians and drivers and allow you to turn or stop quickly to avoid collisions. You should create a schedule of inspections to check your motorcycle and do some maintenance if any of the essential components are beginning to show wear and tear.

• Horn (Must project at least 200 feet)

• Wheels

• Tires

• Fenders (Applied to both wheels and elevated at least 20 inches)

• Handlebars

• Brake system (Applied to at least one wheel and operated by hand or foot)

• Controls

• Headlight (Must project at least 100 feet if below 25 mph; at least 200 feet if between 25 to 34 mph; at least 300 feet if above 35 mph)

• Taillight (Must project at least 500 feet)

• Brake light (Must project at least 100 feet)

• Reflector

• Exhaust system

• Muffler

• Turn signals (Must project at least 100 feet)

• Rearview mirror (Show surroundings at least 200 feet)

While it is never directly addressed in Idaho’s motorcycle laws, lane splitting is considered an illegal practice since motorcyclists are not permitted to do the riding maneuvers involved with it.

All motor vehicles including motorcycles have to stay within the space of the lane they are currently driving on. While motorcyclists can make full use of the space between the dividing lines, they cannot ever ride on top of them. They can only cross over onto adjacent lanes if there is enough space to move without bumping into other vehicles surrounding them. 

While there is no minimum age restriction regarding motorcycle passengers in Idaho, your passenger still must comply with Idaho’s other motorcycle laws. If your passenger is below the age of 18, he/she is required to wear a helmet while riding your motorcycle.

For your motorcycle to be fit to transport a passenger, it must have additional features installed to provide your passenger with secure seating. You either must fix a seat big enough to support two people or a separate designated seat for just the passenger. The passenger seat can come in the form of a motorcycle saddle or a sidecar. There must also be footrests so that your passenger has something to help maintain their grip.

If you decide to carry young children on your motorcycle, make sure that they can comply with your directions without complaint and are tall enough that they can plant their feet securely against the footrests. 

You have been painted a picture of Idaho’s topography and given a preview of what it would be like to ride on this state’s most notable roads and highways. But you do not have to plan a trip that only follows along Idaho’s highly praised motorcycle destinations to make the riding experience memorable. Motorcyclists never know when they stumble upon a lesser-known route that is hardly traveled yet takes them to spots that show off Idaho’s natural beauty.

Even if you feel certain regarding which Idaho motorcycle roads and destinations you wish to visit and in which order, you can be flexible about how to go about your motorcycle trip. Go partway on a scenic byway, take a detour, or try to cross between different routes within the same day. Take it slow on a leisurely street so you can take in the scenery or get the blood pumping navigating jarringly uneven pavement.

There is no right way to go about completing a motorcycle trip because there are so many different ways you can enjoy spending time with your motorcycle in Idaho.