But in Wallace, if the light was red, motorists had to stop. These days, with a new elevated freeway skirting downtown, traffic roars past Wallace pretty much the same way it does everywhere else. But even though travelers may no longer need to stop, they might want to anyway. For Wallace is the heart of Silver Country, a 190-mile corridor between Missoula, Mont., and Spokane, Wash., that beckons visitors with rich history, abundant scenery and 1,000 miles of trails for everything from hiking and mountain biking in summer to snowmobiling and skiing in winter. Silver Country got its name from the astounding mineral wealth that long pumped this area's economy.
Mining continues, but the Northern Rockies are now better known for recreational riches.
Along the way, cyclists cruise through tunnels and across train trestles, all newly reconstructed for safe and scenic riding. But there's more to see than the beautiful bike trail in Silver Country. Our scenic drive begins in Missoula, a charming city that's home to the University of Montana. Back in the 1950s, patrons of Gerry and Marie Lincoln's tavern began embedding silver dollars in the bar top. The collection, now more than 32,000 one-dollar coins, may be the largest of its kind, and it's still growing by about 1,500 coins each year.