Just 40 minutes north of Coeur d’Alene on the northwestern shore of Lake Pend Oreille sits Sandpoint, an eclectic city offering cultural and recreational opportunities year round.
Lake Pend Oreille is more than 43 miles long and six miles wide with depths of more than 1,200 feet. On its southeastern end, huge cliffs plummet to the water’s edge. To the northwest are the rugged Selkirk Mountains, home of Schweitzer Mountain Resort. Schweitzer is famous for superb ski conditions, top-notch facilities and multi-seasonal activities and events.
Sandpoint is truly a four-season destination. The annual Sandpoint Winter Carnival provides a week of ice sculpture, food, ski competition, parades and music in January. Each summer, theFestival at Sandpoint features the Spokane Symphony Orchestra along with international talents. Charming downtown Sandpoint offers galleries and an amazing selection of gourmet dining, as well as the beautifully restored Panida Theatre. Built in 1927, the theater hosts area dance troupes, films, concerts and fund-raising events.
Sandpoint is touted as “a walking town,” but is also one of the West’s greatest railroading towns. The Burlington Northern, Montana Rail Link and Spokane International rail systems all converge to create “The Funnel,” an amazingly active rail crossroads with more than 40 trains a day traveling through. Rail buffs come from around the world to see the many trains.