Boise Idaho - Nice spring loop - Banks-Lowman-Idaho City

This 150 mile ride encompasses river canyon and mountain passes with lots of twisty paved roads to enjoy along the way.
Your ride with take around 3 1/2 hours and have multiple altitude changes, with the low being 2,480 feet and the high being 6,099.
April 26, 2020 Morris Pass.
South Fork of the Payette River. Roads taken, Hwy 55, Banks-Lowman road, Hwy 21

I rode much of 21 during a Stanley Stomp a few years ago. Great road in beautiful country. I need to give Sawtooth Lodge another visit.

Nice pics!

That is a great loop which I need to do as soon as I can bread free. How much sand did you find in the corners?

With the Great Falls Rally pushed until 2021

Friends that were going with me to the Rally this year, still want to do a multiple day Idaho ride this summer when restrictions open up some. There is a great loop that ventures into eastern Oregon to ride through Hells Canyon, the Eagle Cap mountain with a visit to Joseph, OR. Then heading north through the Wallowa-Whitman NF to Lewiston, ID. The Lewis & Clark highway through multiple river canyons in the Bitterroot mountains takes you east to Lolo Pass into Montana. South from there to Salmon, ID From there you turn SE through the Lemhi valley with a stop at the Idaho National Lab museum near Arco. Then to the Craters of the Moon and Sun Valley. Turning NW you climb over an amazing pass on highway 75 into the Sawtooth SRA and Stanley, ID. From Stanley you venture on to the Idaho BDR passed warm lake to Cascade before turning south returning to Boise.
This loop can be done completely on paved two lane roads or mixed with sections of dirt and gravel. We are thinking about five day so we can stop and site see or take side jaunts.

Highway 21 conditions

GREGFEELER said:

That is a great loop which I need to do as soon as I can bread free. How much sand did you find in the corners?

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Roads were in great shape, lot and lots of rock on the sides due to land slides from the earth quake, but pavement clear, also dry. A number of bikes were seen, but no traffic so you could ride at what ever pace was comfortable for your.

rwadamsidaho said:

Roads were in great shape, lot and lots of rock on the sides due to land slides from the earth quake, but pavement clear, also dry. A number of bikes were seen, but no traffic so you could ride at what ever pace was comfortable for your.

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Good the hear. I've ridden Deal's Gap which is likely the most famous bike road in the south easy, but the I think the section from Lowman to Idaho City is far more technical and challenging, and has far greater elevation changes. Amazing riding!

GREGFEELER said:

...I think the section from Lowman to Idaho City is far more technical and challenging, and has far greater elevation changes. Amazing riding!

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I rode that section on my friend's FJR and his Buell XB9S; great fun. You were the MC at the (2007 Stomp) dinner that year and we had a nice chat.

Rinty said:

I rode that section on my friend's FJR and his Buell XB9S; great fun. You were the MC at the (2007 Stomp) dinner that year and we had a nice chat.

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That was a while ago - good memory!

Well, it was a memorable weekend, and I had an exhilarating ride home on the Sunday, up the Salmon River valley. I had it pretty much all to myself.

There are some beautiful hot springs at Challis, which would be a side trip east from Stanley. Nice campground and B&B...right on the Salmon River.

Rinty said:

Well, it was a memorable weekend, and I had an exhilarating ride home on the Sunday, up the Salmon River valley. I had it pretty much all to myself.

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The parts of Canada and the US from the Rockies west have some of the best motorcycle roads on the content - that is if you like a twisty mountain roads, dramatic elevation changes, summits with magnificent views of mountains behind mountains followed by more mountains, generally sparse traffic, light law enforcement, and then big areas of wide rolling high speed sweepers and even sections of Interstate that combine the Autobahn with a rolling and banking delights. And, don't forget the great western desert basin of Utah and Nevada with endless openness, stunning desert vistas, and simply amazing geography. Just sayin'

I've been on several pieces of that loop at separate times and enjoyed it. Check out Craters of the Moon NP between Arco and Carey if you have a chance.