North Idaho Camping & Parks

Park it - From Skate to State

Farragut State Park, located on Lake Pend Oreille, was the second largest naval training station in the world during World War II. President Franklin Roosevelt chose Lake Pend Oreille because it is 1,225 feet deep, and therefore suitable for submarine testing. In addition to natural wonders, the park features a natural amphitheater with room for 60,000 people, a model airplane flying field, and a museum. Farragut State Park is four miles east of U.S. Highway 95 at Athol. For information, call 683-2425. Heyburn State Park became the first state park in the Pacific Northwest in 1908. More than 5,500 acres of land and 2,300 acres of water are home to wildlife of all types. Heron and Osprey are especially common. The park includes three lakes; Chatcolet, Benewah, and Hidden Lakes, with the St. Joe River meandering along the eastern boundary of the park. The park is on State Highway 5 between Plummer and St. Maries. Call 686-1308. Round Lake State Park, 10 miles south of Sandpoint on Hwy 95, has easy access, two miles from the highway to fishing, swimming and hiking areas. Call 263-3489. Priest Lake State Park with crystal clear mountain waters is near the Selkirk Mountain range. 155 campsites provide full service to primitive tent areas. Some are open all year. Call 443-2200.

If a skate board is your choice for transportation, skate board parks are open to the public at Northwest Blvd. and Mullan Ave. (near Memorial Field) in Coeur d'Alene, at 3rd Ave. and Mullan in Post Falls and near the Bonner Mall in Sandpoint. Rathdrum's new skateboard park is right on Main Street. Some areas have city ordinances (no sidewalk boarding) as posted.

City of Coeur d'Alene Parks Department 769-2252
North Region Headquarters 769-1511
Volunteer Program Coordinator 666-6803
Farragut State Park, Athol 683-2425
Heyburn State Park, Plummer 686-1308
Indian Creek State Park, Priest Lake 443-2200
Old Mission State Park, Cataldo 682-3814
Priest Lake State Park 443-2200
Round Lake State Park, Sandpoint 263-3489

Camp Out

Nestle among nature in one of North Idaho's many campgrounds. Some area favorites include;

• Bell Bay Campground located on Lake Coeur d'Alene featuring a large picnic area and 30 campsites, most among pine trees. (Take East Point road from Highway 97).
• Whitetail Campground is located in Farragut State Park and has 62 campsites in a forest setting. The campground has showers and toilets. (Take Highway 54 east.)
• Big Hank Campground has 30 campsites. Fish, canoe and inner tube in the nearby Coeur d'Alene River. (Located on River Road 208, 19 miles north of Prichard.)
• Beaver Creek Campground is located on Priest Lake and has a portage. The campground has 40 campsites, swimming and a trail head. (Highway 57 - east at Nordman, 12 miles down paved road.)
• Reeder Bay is also located on Priest Lake 39 miles north of Priest River. This Forest Service campground has 24 campsites, handicap facilities and a place to swim. (Highway 57 - turn east on to Nordman.)
• Sam Owen Campground (Lake Pend Oreille) has 80 camp units, fishing, swimming and boating. The campground has family and sheltered picnic areas and includes a boat ramp. (15 miles east of Sandpoint on Highway 200. Turn South West down a county road and travel 2 miles.)
• Huckleberry Campground has 30 individual campsites and 3 group campsites. It has electricity, toilets, water and a trailer dump site. (Located on St. Joe River Road 29 miles east of St. Maries.)

In time for the 2007 summer season Farragut State Park added 38 individual and five companion sites to take the 4,000-acre park's total camp sites to 246. The new Gilmore Campground is RV-friendly, with water and 50 amp electricity to each site. It also has historical significance as the former training service camp for sailors bound for the Pacific during WWII. Take US 95, turn east on Hwy 54 at Athol, then right on South Road for one mile.

For information on United States Forest Service campgrounds call 1-877-444-6777, Bureau of Land Management campgrounds call 769-5000 or to reserve a campsite, visit www.reserveusa.com.

Looking for more places to camp in North Idaho, visit our North Idaho Campgrounds Page