

The Tour of Idaho





No support, no cheering crowds - just you, your bike and your wits. The Tour of Idaho is a dirt bike ride designed for soloists and small groups traveling alone and unsupported that begins in the Malad Range of southern Idaho and ends 1750+ miles and a quarter of a million vertical feet later in the Selkirk Mountains near the Canadian border. It is very likely one of the most committing and difficult long dirt bike rides in the United States. It is NOT a dual sport ride - plated dirt bikes with lights are required. There are several variations of the Tour of Idaho. T1 is the "official" Tour of Idaho with restrictions, beacon tracking, etc. and a finisher number awarded to those who finish within the rules. T2 is the Cartman "I do what I want" version of T1. T3 is a dual sport Tour that is easier than either T1 or T2 but more difficult than the Idaho Backcountry Discovery Route. T4 is a 500-mile East-West Tour for dual sport bikes. T5 is another East-West Tour that is a bit more like T1. Idaho has some new requirements for off road motorcycles. If your bike is plated out of state, you should be fine. Click here to check the rules. Most of the 10 days required to complete the T1 is spent in remote areas far from the nearest town. Cell phones are of little use much of the way. Water, food, emergency supplies and fuel must be carried and bikes and riders must be capable of a 170+ mile range day after day. The Tour encompasses extremes of elevation (1486' to 10,420') and climate. Most of the trails used on the Tour are far removed from civilization. The Tour crests 10,000' three times and 9000' feet a dozen times more. Technical challenges include mud, snow, extensive sections of technical single track, rocky trails, numerous water crossings and deep sand. Navigational challenges abound. There is a distinct possibility of blistering heat, brutal cold and deluges of biblical proportions - rain, snow or both - along the entire route. And all of the above may be encountered within just a few hours. Fires are a perennial problem throughout Tour season. The Tour is in no way a casual undertaking. It's not like 10,000 laps around an enduro course and it is not for everyone. Yet the variety of plants, animals and geological features found along the way is amazing. The riding is varied, challenging and always interesting. The Tour is fun, if your mindset and preparation are good, even when it's really hard. If you are the type of person who feels comfortable rebuilding a bike in the middle of nowhere with a bear watching or lashing logs together to cross a swollen creek the Tour just might be for you. All of the trails along the Tour are officially open from July 1 to mid September. The Tour is physically passable, i.e., snow, blowdown and other winter remnants are minimized by mid to late July each year. A last week of July start is generally the earliest that is advised. By October 1 a significant number of trails used on the Tour are closed to OHV use for hunting season and the Tour is effectively over for the year. T1 officially runs from July 15 until Sept 15. Maps for the Tour of Idaho, gpx tracks and detailed route information may be found at our detailed route description page. Start there. For up to date trail information and advice visit the Tour of Idaho Facebook Group and our forum. The Facebook group is open for all to read but membership is restricted to those actually planning a Tour of Idaho trip the year they join (you must read and like the group description to be added and there is some light screening prior to being added). You are free to use all of the information here anyway that you wish. We ask only that you spend some time exploring the information here (there is a lot) before you email us with questions - and that you respect the tradition of reserving the appellation "Tour of Idaho" for those who complete the entire route unsupported and in small groups observing our intervals and standards. For more on what it takes to complete the "Tour" see the route description page. We frequently hear from readers who want to know how they can support the Tour. The best thing that you can do to help the Tour is to support access by joining or contributing to Riders Unite.









We recommend KLIM gear, the best there is, for the Tour of Idaho.

Interested in the Tour but unsure of your ability? Check out Jimmy Lewis Off-Road. Jimmy Lewis does the Tour of Idaho Start you hunt for a tank and plastics here.

Trail Tech - hard goods galore!

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