MULLAN

Mullan is the easternmost town in the Silver Valley. It sits at an elevation of 3,278 and is only six miles from the Idaho and Montana border. Lookout Ski Pass and the Route of the Hiawatha sit at the border, making Mullan a fantastic option for both winter and summer recreation. Mullan itself also hosts the eastern most trailhead to the Trail of the Coeur d’Alene. This 73-mile-long paved trail runs all the way to Plummer and is enjoyed by bikers, hikers, snowshoers, and Nordic skiers year-round. There is an annual Trail Rail Run that begins in Mullan and ends in St. Regis, Montana. This scenic run follows the Old Milwaukee & Northern Pacific Railroad grades and is a local favorite event.

Nine minutes east of Mullan’s center lies Shoshone Park, a large forested park with a stream running through it. The park itself is true to the nature around it and has been minimally disturbed by human construction, though there are a few family-friendly perks that give the park added outdoor comfort and enjoyment. There is a baseball field, 2 reservable kitchen shelters, and the Hale Fish Hatchery on the east end of the park. Mullan and the land around it is splendid. There is no shortage of Bitterroot mountain peaks, stream, high alpine lakes, campsites, and hiking trails to be explored and adored. The trails in and around Mullan provide a safe and easy route into the wilderness, exposing trail-riders to the magnificent National Forest and the life within it.

At a population of around 700, Mullan’s lifestyle can be described as peaceful and slow-paced. The city’s downtown has a beautiful grassy park filled with local flora amongst a gazebo, a playground, and a historical museum. Captain John Mullan, Mullan’s namesake, stands proudly as a statue in front of the city’s fire station and City Hall and faces old Mullan Road. There is a clear fishing stream that cuts through town, and the rest of the town is just as scenic as downtown. Many of the attractive homes were built at the turn of the 20th century. These historic buildings capture the nostalgia of the mining days, an earlier time when Mullan was home to 2,000 and would have been described as bustling.

Today, Mullan has its own fire department and an Olympic-size swimming pool open to the community. There is also a bowling alley, library, and a stage in the Morning Club building. This structure was gifted to the town by the Morning Mine after its 1921 construction.