Hi this is Hunter Rogers, I'm a board member for VBC.
This is ironic that you are planning to do this trail. I just now got back from Coeur d' Alene Idaho and we biked the Coeur d' Alene trail while we were there. I heard that this was rated among the best in the country.
This trail is stunning! Part of it runs alongside the North fork Coeur d' Alene, part along Coeur d' Alene Lake, lots of forest, and through some towns. Tons of wildlife, including moose! Just don't stop to stare, we had a male sprint towards us.
We did this trail as out and backs, just drove to a different parking area each day. We saved tons of money on shuttles, private shuttle's cost as much as $165 a pop, so we avoided that.
We did Plummer to Harrison and back, that section has many bathroom stops. Other sections don't have as many. When you ride through Smelterville/silver mountain area, it's industrial, it's open and hot, that section of trail is closed because they are installing a water line through the trail, so you are routed off trail. The only bathrooms we found were porta potties at a dry camp parking lot in Silver MTN.
To end this email, I'll share a refreshing stop. After riding one day near Cataldo, we had a hankering for a milkshake. In that area, huckleberry milkshakes are a thing. We stopped at an old pub/restaurant called Snake Pit. They had milkshakes with REAL fresh huckleberries. They were so good we drove back several times for a huckleberry milkshake run. There are plenty of bikers that stop there.
I know you will have an epic time. We did, and we'll do it again next year July 10th to 24th.
Finally, if you do Hiawatha, be prepared to have the muddiest bike ever. This clayish mud coats everything and gets into everything. The tunnels are long, dark, and wet. But, it is also epic! Do it!
Safe travels and safe rides.
Hunter Rogers