North Idaho Sports & Outdoor Recreation
There's
nothing more exciting than enjoying the great North Idaho
outdoors, in any season! There are many special places in
northern Idaho, from popular lakeside campgrounds to high
wilderness. Use the links at right to find your special spot
and enjoy the year-round excitement and beauty of the Idaho
Panhandle National Forests and Idaho's north country.
Idaho
Panhandle National Forests comprise approximately 2.5
million acres of public land in North Idaho and extend into
eastern Washington and western Montana. North Idaho is about
20 percent farmland and 80 percent forested. The Idaho
Panhandle National Forests are within nine counties in three
states: Boundary, Bonner, Benewah, Kootenai, Shoshone, Latah
and Clearwater Counties in Idaho; Lincoln County in Montana;
and Pend Oreille County in Washington.
More than
half of all the surface waters in Idaho are here in the
panhandle. From foam-flecked rapids to challenge the
whitewater rafter and glassy, quiet runs perfect for canoes.
Miles of rivers and vast lakes are world class sport
fisheries, many the location of sport fishing records. Where
there's fishing, there's boating and sailing. The St. Joe
River reaches an altitude of 2,128 feet to make it the
highest navigable river in the world. On this working river,
tug boats pull rafts or "brailes" of logs to lumber mills in
St. Maries and Coeur d'Alene. The tugs are living history,
operating where paddle-wheelers once did. Accessible by road
and trail, the river attracts whitewater runners and
fishermen.
In winter,
the snowy wilds and hundreds of miles of groomed trails
beckon cross-country skiers and snowmobilers. Regional ski
resorts invite the downhill skier with runs for beginners to
experts. There are also plenty of winter fishing
opportunities at area lakes. The Selkirk, Cabinet, Coeur
d’Alene and Bitteroot mountain ranges feature glacial
cirques and gem-like lakes high above timberline and craggy
ridge tops. The country, remote and rough to travel, is a
special place for those seeking solitude.
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