Kootenai County: Nature, Trails and History

Kootenai County offers reasons to visit ranging from nature trails and seasonal wildlife to history and amusement park experiences. If you’re looking for hotels for a trip here, first decide which of these themes you want to shape your stay: trails and scenery, winter activities or historic sites.

Trails, Lake and Wildlife

Mineral Ridge has a 3.3-mile National Recreation Trail with views of Lake Coeur d’Alene. A trail guide with 22 numbered stops describes plants, animals and the ecological relationships of the forest. Tubbs Hill is a 165-acre nature park on Lake Coeur d’Alene, with several miles of hiking trails on the hill. A 2.2-mile interpretive trail runs along its perimeter. You can consider two routes with different highlights: the views and stops at Mineral Ridge or the trail around the edge of Tubbs Hill.

Wildlife adds a seasonal highlight, too: Every winter, from November to February, more than 200 bald eagles come to Mineral Ridge to feed on spawning kokanee salmon. If you’re planning your trip specifically around this seasonal pattern, check local conditions in advance. Cougar Bay Natural Area provides habitat for migratory birds, waterfowl and other wildlife. The 1.2-mile John C. Pointner Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary Trail runs through a 155-acre site managed by the BLM near Coeur d’Alene.

The Coeur d’Alene River WMA includes wetlands, lakes, riverbanks and coniferous forest in Kootenai and Benewah counties. The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes passes in and out of this protected area. The North Idaho Centennial Trail offers a different kind of route: this paved, 23-mile trail is designed for walking, jogging and cycling, and connects to the Spokane River Centennial Trail at the state line. Printed maps are available at the Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls visitor centers.

Parks and Activities

Kootenai County Parks and Waterways manages ten parks covering a total of more than 162 acres. The 78.5-acre Q’emiln Park has a lifeguarded swimming area, a boat launch, barbecue areas and picnic shelters. It also provides access to Post Falls Community Forest and Q’emiln Climbing Walls.

Silverwood Theme Park offers more than 70 rides, slides, shows and attractions, including four roller coasters and Boulder Beach Water Park. Historic Engine No. 7 offers another way to see the grounds: the ride travels through the park and the wooded areas at the back of the park. In winter, Farragut State Park’s seasonal offerings include classic cross-country ski trails, snowshoe trails and sledding areas.

History and Memorial Sites

The Brig at Farragut State Park is one of the few surviving buildings of the Farragut Naval Training Station. The Museum at the Brig houses the world’s largest collection of memorabilia from the station’s years of operation, from 1942 to 1946. The former Farragut Naval Training Base was converted into Farragut State Park. These connections make the park a place where you can include both winter activities and the history of the military facility in your trip planning.

The Mission of the Sacred Heart was built between 1850 and 1853 by Catholic missionaries and members of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. Coeur d’Alene’s Old Mission State Park showcases Idaho’s oldest building and includes a restored Parish House. The visitor center features the exhibit “Sacred Encounters: Father De Smet & the Indians of the Rocky Mountain West,” which presents the history of the mission, the Tribe and the missionaries. The park is near the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes and makes a suitable day stop for travelers on the trail. The Museum of North Idaho also preserves and presents the history of North Idaho.

Discover more destinations: Coeur D'alene, Hayden, Huetter, Worley, Hayden Lake, Bayview, Cataldo, Post Falls, Rathdrum.

For the broader travel overview: Idaho.