When railroad tracks are abandoned, grass and plants start to grow between each rail, now rusted with over 100 years of age. They almost start to blend in with the grass and trees around them, but that hint of old time technology still pokes through. These retired railroad tracks are most popularly used to create hiking trails, which are still being utilized today.
The Route of the Olympian is a project coming to completion, taking over 30 miles of abandoned railroad grades and transforming the already existing structures into a trail for motorized and non-motorized recreation in the Superior Ranger District.
The 30 miles follow a relatively flat route from Taft to St. Regis, Montana, offering a relaxing exploration of the national forests in the area. And what makes the experience even more unique is its careful attention to the details left behind by the railroad, implementing them into the new trail system. A homeage to the area's history.
The start of the trail is Recreation Staff Heather Burman's favorite part. Leading to the first community, Saltese, the beginning of the trail allows route-goers to travel through a tunnel and over a trestle bridge. These structures were modeled after the historical structures left behind on the railroad route.
“It's more of a traditional railroad route, instead of just a road,” explained Burman. “It's still narrow, and it's surrounded by all the timber and the trees... It's just a nice, scenic area. It's rather quiet as well.”
The Route of the Olympian is following a portion of the Old Milwaukee Railroad, which was built in 1909. The route itself is named after the Olympian Hiawatha passenger trains that brought sight-seers through the Rockies between 1947 and 1961.
But the railroad just as quickly fell in the 1980s, after a series of unfortunate events in the 1970s. This included refusing to upgrade its electrification and turning away new business, starting its rapid approach to bankruptcy.
The Superior Ranger District had been looking into making the railroad a trail since the early 2000s, especially after the success of The Hiawatha Trail, which follows the other side of the railroad. Averaging 60,000 visitors a year, people come from all over to bike, walk, run, and snowmobile down the Hiawatha trail.
The sister trail of the Olympian, the Route of the Hiawatha, is a mountain bike and hike trail 15 miles long with 10 train tunnels and 7 sky-high trestles. According to the trail’s official website, now that the St. Paul Pass, or Taft Tunnel has been opened, an additional 31 miles of trail are being planned stretching all the way to St. Regis, Montana, in which the Route of the Olympian comes into play.
The trail analysis for the Olympian took over four years, which included the complications of acquiring pieces of land the route went through. The final parcel was donated to the project by the Five Valleys Land Trust back in 2017, which allowed them to finally work on the completion of the historically accurate route, which utilizes a local river and some open roads as well.
“This trail is quickly becoming an icon of recreation in western Montana, benefiting local community members who love to recreate outdoors and those invested in economic development by attracting visitors from near and far,” Five Valleys' Executive Director's Grant Kier was quoted as stating on their official website. “We are thrilled to assist western Montana communities and our public agency partners to complete projects that provide so many benefits.”
Already visited by tens of thousands of visitors each year, the path can now be utilized each season while final touches – like signage - are being installed. The fact that people are already flocking to the trail is an indicator that outdoor recreation is a much needed past time for Americans.
“It's a way to connect with nature,” said Burman. “It's a way to use the natural environment. It allows them to lead a healthier lifestyle, and a way to enjoy spending time with friends and family. It's a wonderful trail, definitely worth exploring. And it connects to other trails, going into Idaho (Route of the Hiawatha) and hopefully reaching all the way to Washington in the future.”
St. Regis does have a campground for RVers. Additional relatively close-by RV parks include Jim & Mary's RV Park in Missoula and Edgewater RV Resort and Motel in Lakeside. The Forest Service has campground between St. Regis and De Borgia (next community northwest of St. Regis). West of De Borgia, there's more RV camping available in the community of Haugan in Mineral County.