Climb aboard our electric handcars and glide down miles of historic Washington and Idaho railroad tracks for a unique and spectacular experience! Our handcars are custom built and inspired by historic railcars from the late 1800s. They feature comfortable padded seats, powerful electric motors, seatbelts, and hydraulic brakes for your safety and comfort. Being electric assisted, you can do as little or as much physical work as you like making this activity enjoyable for almost anyone.
This 7.25 mile guided tour travels with up to eight individual railcars along the Palouse River with spectacular views. Enjoy views of wildlife and beautiful scenery as you meander along the river under, through rock formations and meadows during this unique immersive experience.
The tour starts with a history and safety briefing provided by your tour guides who will train you on how to operate the handcar. Once underway you are traveling on your own private car along the railroad tracks until reaching the halfway point where there is a break. Bring a snack to enjoy at our rest stop under the trees and tucked away along an isolated portion of railroad tracks. The tour runs about 1.5 hours.
These are handcars, meaning you use your legs and arms (and onboard electric motor) to propel the rail vehicle along the route. When you book one of our handcars, you are booking a car with three seats for up to three participants. Idaho is the only place in the world where you can participate on a handcar tour. Our handcars are electrified and if pumping the handles proves difficult you can use the electric throttle to propel you across the rail line. For the safety of our guests the handcars have a minimum age restriction of 10 years old.
These are guided tours with the handcars and rail bikes traveling together as one unit with trained guides leading on a handcar to the front and to the rear of the group. The experience is about 1.5 hours in duration.
Age, Weight, and other Restrictions
- Each participant must be at least 10 years old to ride the handcar, Riders need to be under 300 pounds to ride the handcar.
- We do not allow for babies in slings do to the hazards of an infant not being tethered securely to the vehicle.
- All participants must have full use of arms and legs to safely seat and support themselves on the vehicles.
- Caregivers of persons with developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum should consider the hazards associated with the handcar before booking.
- Closed toed shoes are mandatory for handcars.
- Animals are not permitted as they cannot be safely transported on the rail vehicles.
Pricing
You are paying for a handcar, we do not charge per person fees.
Handcar $149 (carries 2 or 3 people)
Plus Idaho Sales Tax 6%
Have more questions or want to learn more about our tours:
- Visit our FAQ page for more questions and answers.
- Our television media page has broadcast stories about our tours.
- Visit our Virtual Museum and learn more about our equipment and handcars