CLARK FORK TO CANADA – 102 miles

There are only a handful of dirt road options in this narrow strip of land between Washington and Idaho so expect a bit of pavement which may be welcome at this point in your journey.

Just out of Clark Fork you’ll head up Lightning Creek Road into Kaniksu National Forest. Be sure to stop at Char Falls which are just a few paces from the parking area and well worth the photo opportunity. Lunch Peak Fire Lookout is also on the way and highly recommended. The route then descends to the shore of Lake Pend Oreille and bypasses the city of Sand Point. If you haven’t visited this lakeside resort city before, consider a detour to check it out.

The optional Roman Nose ALT Harder is fairly tame but there’s one short tough section on the ascent up to Ruby Pass. It’s worth the challenge to get to see the Roman Nose Lakes and walk the boardwalk there. On this long optional side trip there are views of Roman Nose, Bottleneck Peak, and other massive granite mountains in Kaniksu National Forest.

Soon you’ll alternate between dirt and pavement on your ride north along the banks of the Kootenai River and past the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge. It’s not long until you reach the north end of the Idaho BDR at the small town of Porthill, Idaho near the Canadian Border crossing.