[1]The Cataldo Mission, (Exit 39) located at Old Mission State Park, is the oldest standing building in Idaho. Built by Jesuit Priests and members of the Coeur d'Alene Indian Tribe, the structure was completed in 1854 and sits high atop a hill and has foot-thick walls that were built without any nails.

In [2] Kellogg, visit Silver Mountain and treat yourself to an awesome "mountain adventure," by riding the world's longest single-stage gondola to the top. In the summer, Silver Mountain offers outdoor weekend concerts, patio dining, hiking, mountain biking and other activities. In the winter, bring your snowboards and skis and experience the powder! Silver Mountain Resort offers exceptional snow quality, seven lifts, 2,200 vertical feet and 2,500 acres. In Kellogg, the city at the base of Silver Mountain, be sure to visit Kellogg's Staff House Museum, the alpine shops, or the Dave Dose Trail of whimsical sculptures. Just west of Kellogg, the historic Wardner Museum welcomes you to the founding site of the Bunker Hill Mine.

Fascinated by the underground? Explore an authentic 1880s gold mine and see unusual crystal formations, native silver, gold-bearing quartz, and mining artifacts.
Two miles further east at Big Creek, (exit 54) is the Sunshine Mine Memorial, dedicated to 91 miners who died in a mine fire in 1972. Head south 1.5 miles on Big Creek Road to the Sunshine Mine. The mine is not open to the public, but it can be viewed from the parking lot. For further information on the mine and to purchase silver commemorative coins, go to their Wallace office at 401 Seventh St. [3] The silver capital of Historic Wallace, located at Exit 61 and eight miles east, is one of the last towns entirely listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is always worth a visit. Highlights include the Wallace District Mining Museum, the Northern Pacific Depot Railroad Museum, and the Oasis Bordello Museum. For another unique adventure, hop aboard the Sierra Silver Mine Tour trolley and go underground to see how an actual silver mine operates. While in downtown Wallace, visit the fine silver and gift shops and the period architecture from Wallace's heyday.

Cap off your day with dinner at one of the Silver Valley's unique restaurants. For an after dinner treat, grab some tickets for a show at the 6th Street Melodrama Theater and enjoy an evening of colorful 1880s-style entertainment. [4] Further east, at Mullan (exit 68 & 69) you will find another historical mining community. Take in some of the local history and color at the Captain John Mullan Historical Museum. Mullan is the ideal stopover when you're traveling between Lookout Pass and Wallace. The town also boasts a branch of the Idaho State Fish Hatchery, the Lucky Friday Mine, Shoshone Park, and access to miles of hiking, mountain biking, and snowmobiling trails (including hiking trails to Lone Lake and Steven's Lake).

Looking for adventure? Head 4 miles east of Mullan until you reach [5] Lookout Pass,a recreation site straddling the Idaho-Montana border. Year round, the Lookout Pass area is a prime departure site for snowmobiling, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking in the Bitterroot Mountains of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Here, you'll find the trailhead for the Route of the Hiawatha, a world-class family mountain biking experience. The Route of the Hiawatha is a 13-mile groomed biking path that follows what was once the great Milwaukee Railroad. It takes you through 11 large train tunnels and across 9 sky high trestles. The Taft Tunnel, the trail's centerpiece, will add 33 miles to the length, and is expected to be ready for use by October 2000. At only 2% grade, this trail offers an easy downhill ride that the whole family will enjoy. Guided tours, bike rentals, and a shuttle back to the top are available. Please call the US Forest Service for more information at (208) 245-4517.

Returning to Wallace, take 6th Street north, (which becomes Nine Mile Road, FS Road 456 N) over Dobson Pass, for a 17-mile tour to [6] Prichard. Take a right-hand turn on FS Road 9. After two miles take another right on FS Road 153 east to [7] Murray (6 miles).Keep a lookout for wildlife. You might spot a deer or two, or even a prickly little porcupine. At Murray, you can take a step back in gold mining history. Be sure to visit the Sprag Pole Inn Museum. Just one mile south of Murray, stop at a historic cemetery to honor the last resting place of early pioneers and colorful characters such as Molly B' Damm and Captain Toncray (credited to be Mark Twain's inspiration for his Huck Finn character).

Return west on FS Road152, and travel 3 miles to [8] Eagle, the Coeur d'Alenes' first gold rush camp and the site of Wyatt Earp's 1884 tent saloon. Turning right at the junction, follow FS Road 152 to its junction with Road 805. Follow this road for six miles to Settler's Grove of Ancient Cedars, an old-growth forest of trees. This grove, which narrowly escaped the cataclysmic 1910 fire, has trees that are hundreds of years old with trunks up to 8 feet in diameter.

Return to FS Road 152 west to FS Road 9 for a leisurely drive south along the wild scenic North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River or you could continue on to Highway 200 to visit Glacier National Park. See reference on Glacier page.