Playing in Sandpoint

For mountain bikers who want to get ‘way back into the mountains, the Johnson Cabin Trail to Granite Creek Trail ride is a beautiful intermediate-advanced trail in the Monarch Mountains above Lake Pend Oreille, with the requisite views and mountain scenery. But it is back there; the trailhead is a bit more than 40 miles from Sandpoint, accessed from the town of Clark Fork via the forest road known locally as the High Drive.

Lots of elevation gain and loss. Bring water. Get a good map and be prepared for backcountry contingencies, as you will be miles from help.