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Harriman Trail

5 Star Route / Ketchum, Idaho / Published: Jun 2022 / Updated: May 2025 / Directions
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Cyclists in Sawtooth National Recreation Area, ID
Entering the Sawtooth National Recreation area.
Cyclist on Harriman Trail, ID
Harriman Trail.
Cyclist on Harriman Trail, ID
Cycling Harriman Trail to Galena Summit.
Cycling to Galena Lodge, near Galena Summit
Arriving at Galena Lodge, almost to Galena Summit.
Cyclist on Harriman Trail, ID
Sawtooth National Forest, Galena Summit, ID
Sawtooth National Forest.
*
Route:
Out & Back | 39 mi
*
Gain:
2,300 ft
*
Surface:
~ 100% gravel
*
Technical Difficulty:
Easier
*
Navigation:
Straightforward
*
Locale:
Urban Backcountry
*
Tire Suggestion:
45 mm+
*
Options:
Shorter

{done!}

This is what all gravel trails should aspire to! A good, long, pristine gravel trail with some surprising twists and turns, scenic mountain views and full of history. Along the way, the trail is marked with kiosks that provide information about the area’s history and environment. Well worth the stop at each. We have not marked all the kiosk sites on the map below; instead, we recommend that you print or shoot a photo of this map.

This ride was even more fun and enjoyable than we expected. Though close to the highway, the trail quickly draws you into wide meadows, shaded forests, and sweeping mountain views, making the outside world fade away.

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Map
Brown = gravel / dirt road
Blue = single track
Red = paved road
Purple = paved bike path
GPX Download
(Version 0.2)

Caution! We do not provide turn-by-turn directions in our GPX files. Those are auto-generated by your bike computer and are usually less than 70% accurate. Learn more.

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Highlights & Remarkable Spots

Sawtooth National Recreation Area / ~ Start

The Sawtooth National Recreation Area consists of 756,000 acres of wilderness. There are over “700 miles of trails, 40 peaks rising over 10,000 feet and 300-plus high-elevation alpine lakes that add to the spectacular scenery and vistas.” The route also follows Big Wood River, a 137-mile flow that joins Little Wood River to form Malad River. [Forest Service]

Easley Hot Springs / ~ mile 7.2

In 1880 John V. Easley dug out the springs and built a loghouse to provide travelers and miners a place to stay and clean up. When the mines diminished, so did the hot springs. The water in the pool and showers are free from chemicals and mineral-rich as they are from the natural springs themselves.

Galena / ~ mile 19

Galena was founded as a mining town in 1879. During its heyday with 800 or so residents, Galena was the largest community in the Wood River Valley boasting several hotels, stables, a meat market & the Daisy Saloon. By the 1890s the residents all moved on as the veins of ore were not as profitable as hoped and Galena was left virtually a ghost town.

In the 1960s the Galena area went through a succession of ownership transfers until it was purchased by the Gelsky’s who constructed Galena Lodge in its present location, using remnants of the old townsite for much of the interior construction. In 1976 a seven-member ownership team purchased the lodge. A cross-country trail system was developed which utilized the old mining and logging roads around Galena. The lodge and ski resort went through several transfers of ownership with ambitious proposals to further develop the cross-country trail system and resort. All of the plans were abandoned until a community effort in 1994 – Help Save Galena Campaign – raised over $500,000 for the community to purchase. The lodge was donated to the Blaine County Recreation District (BCRD) and today relies on community donations and trail fees to maintain operations. [Galena Lodge]

Ride Details

When We Like to Ride This

Jan
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Not Rideable
Possibly Rideable
Rideable

{done!}
Late spring and early fall are ideal. In late May, when we rode this, the wildflowers were in bloom, the trail was free of snow, and the Big Wood River was running strong.

In the early fall, the early miles of the route would be spectacular with the change in the color of the leaves of the Cottonwood and Aspen trees.

Terrain & Riding

{done!}

The Harriman Trail winds gently through the heart of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, following the Big Wood River beneath towering peaks. The trail is dirt and gravel double track that rolls fast climbing gradually all the way to Galena Lodge. You will encounter wide-open stretches and pass through shady forest corridors. The views shift between alpine meadows and rugged ridgelines. It’s feels both expansive and intimate.

The Start

Sawtooth National Recreation Area (North Fork) Visitor Center.
Lat / Long: 43.786977, -114.420365

Water & flush toilets. No parking fee.

Food & Water

  • ~ Mile 19: Galena Lodge (opens mid June)
Notes & Options
Comments

Have you ridden this route? Got a question? Join the discussion!

Help Make This Route Guide Better!

At Dirty Freehub, we believe the best routes are organic and driven by the riding community. This route and guide are a work in progress, and we need your help to make it great!

Provide us with route feedback, both good and bad.

  • Let us know about points of interest and viewpoints,
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  • Let us know about a better or alternative option,
  • And tell us about your favorite place to go after the ride for a burger and beer.

Submit your feedback via the comments block (tab just above the map).

Love Where You Ride! Learn More

{done!}

The Harriman Trail exists because public agencies and local groups joined forces—but their resources are stretched thin. Stewardship cannot be left to them alone. It belongs to all of us.

As riders and trail users, we each have a role to play: give your time by volunteering, share your talent to strengthen trail programs, or contribute your money to support those doing the day-to-day work. Organizations like the Wood River Trails Coalition and the Blaine County Recreation District depend on our involvement to keep this place open and thriving.

We’re asking every Dirty Freehub community member to give back one hour for every ten hours you ride. It’s simple. It’s doable. And it matters. The Harriman Trail offers us beauty, connection, and joy—let’s return the favor with our time, energy, and support. Together, we can ensure this trail thrives for years to come.

—

{Let Kevin delete this info below}

Make sure you leave some time to visit the Sawtooth National Recreation Visitor Center (check hours by calling (208-727-5000). Here you will learn about:

The Tukudeka (Mountain Sheepeaters): A band of the Shoshone, the Tukudeka were known for their deep connection to the mountainous terrain, subsisting on bighorn sheep and other native resources. Their name translates to “Eaters of Mountain Sheep,” reflecting their primary food source. Today, their descendants are part of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho and the Eastern Shoshone of the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.

Beavers, black bears, bobcats, elk, moose, mountain goats, mule deer, and the reintroduced gray wolves.

Trees along the ride including Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, subalpine fir, Engelmann spruce, cottonwood, and aspen.

Wildflowers along the ride like lupine, fireweed, elephant’s head, and alpine forget-me-nots.

And endemic and sensitive species unique to the region, including the Stanley Whitlow Grass , Stanley Thalaspi , and Guardian Buckwheat.

{This all needs to be checked with a phone call to the center}

Keep it Local! Learn More

Keep it Local!

{Need to find something for this.}

Ridden and Reviewed by:

KevinE

KevinE / Team Dirty Freehub

He should have “Never Stop Exploring” tattooed on his chest! He loves adventures on bikes and is a Co-Founder of Dirty Freehub.

LindaE (aka Gravel Girl)

LindaE (aka Gravel Girl) / Team Dirty Freehub

She loves a good day of gravel, like most people like a good book. She’s always amused by the outdoors and the wild adventures. Gravel Girl is a Co-Founder of Dirty Freehub.

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