Return to site

Idaho’s Rail to Trail Paths

John R Nofsinger

broken image

A widely recognized expert in finance, John R Nofsinger has served as a professor and William H Seward endowed chair in finance at the University of Alaska Anchorage since 2014. Outside of the professional arena, John R Nofsinger is an avid cyclist with a particular affinity for the “rails to trails” paths of Northern Idaho.

According to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, transitioning old railway lines into trails and greenways has benefits ranging from improved public health to reduction in commuter congestion. When old railways are no longer transporting goods in Idaho, they often become exceptional bike paths. Long, featuring slow turns, and generally flat, these railways add to their appeal for cyclists.
Idaho’s Centennial Trail, for example, twists and turns for almost 100 miles, taking cyclists from the shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene to the prairies of Post Falls. Another favorite is the scenic Route of the Hiawatha, which passes through ten tunnels and over seven high trestles.