Coeur d'Alene City in Idaho
- Thread starter joc1212
- Start date
You can do that in Coeur d’Alene at the boardwalk, although it is quite spendy for eating. You can also motor towards the south end of the lake and stay at Rockford Bay where there is a restaurant at the marina. You can go a little farther and stay in Windy Bay or at Gasser Point which are boat in only camping, or, the most preferable to me is at the Harrison Docks where there is a town, grocery store, multiple eating places, fuel, and on weekends entertainment sometimes. There is also a 70 mile long dedicated biking path accessible at that location. You can boat another 20 miles or so up either the Coeur d’Alene or St Joe rivers. South from Harrison on the lake are also 2 more dock areas. One is at Conklin Park(a marina) or at Heyburn Park (a boat launch/picnic area). There are a lot of boating and biking areas.
kennharriet
Member
Coeur d'Alene Lake
Boat campgrounds:
Windy Bay. (47*27.827', 116*55.866') -- mid lake
Gasser Pt. (47*27.792, 116*51.393) -- mid lake
Bell Bay. (47*28.300', 116*50.430) -- mid lake
Popcorn Island. (47*31.510, 116*34.090) -- campground up the Coeur d'Alene
Heyburn Park. (47*22.322, 116*45.708) -- southmost campground
Marina campground:
Carlin Bay. (47*32.522, 116*46.430) -- mid lake on east side of lake
Harrison. (47*27.254, 116*47.318) -- nice campground and little town
Conklin Park. (47*24.133, 116*45.313) -- southern 1/3 of lake
Floating Restaurant
The Cedars. (47*40.564, 116*48.269)
Rockford Bay (47*30.469, 116*54.020) -- not floating, gas available
Probably the best launch is near the city of Coeur d'Alene on Blackwell Island on Hwy 95. I am unsure if long-term vehicle and trailer parking is allowed, but probably is. That spot is on the Spokane River. You can boat downstream towards Post Falls and there is a restaurant called Templins that is near the dam -- it is probably less than 10 miles from the launch. If you go upstream from the Blackwell Island launch about a couple of miles you reach the lake. Also on the West side (starboard) of the lake entrance there is an excellent floating restaurant called the Cedars. Turning to port there is the city of Coeur d'Alene, and the Coeur d'Alene resort. The boardwalk around the resort allows paid overnite moorage, plus there is fuel and food at the resort and within walking distance in town. There is a burger joint called Hudsons that has been in business since the early 1900's -- it is within 2 blocks of the marina.
There is another launch and parking at the opposite end (south) of the lake at Heyburn Park. To get there it is about 20 miles from St. Maries, ID. At any of the camp spots you can access most anywhere on the lake -- or anywhere up either the St. Joe or the Coeur d'Alene rivers. For sure, about 16 miles up the Coeur d'Alene river there is a lake called Killarney Lake(entrance at 47*30.362, 116*33.363) that should be visited, and consideration given to camping on Popcorn Island (47*31.510, 116*34.090) within that lake. Also, the St. Joe river should be navigated up to and past St. Maries clear to the shallows of White Tail Flats, several miles upstream of St. Maries -- this is around 20 miles from the river entrance. There is a boat park on the way up to St. Maries at about 47*19.5, 116*37.15. To enter the river you pass under an old railroad grade that is now a beautiful bike path of about 75 miles in length, most of which is passing towards the town of Harrison, and up the Coeur d'Alene river to the mining district clear to Wallace, Idaho. If you ride bikes you should consider it. Bikes can be rented in Harrison.
Boat campgrounds:
Windy Bay. (47*27.827', 116*55.866') -- mid lake
Gasser Pt. (47*27.792, 116*51.393) -- mid lake
Bell Bay. (47*28.300', 116*50.430) -- mid lake
Popcorn Island. (47*31.510, 116*34.090) -- campground up the Coeur d'Alene
Heyburn Park. (47*22.322, 116*45.708) -- southmost campground
Marina campground:
Carlin Bay. (47*32.522, 116*46.430) -- mid lake on east side of lake
Harrison. (47*27.254, 116*47.318) -- nice campground and little town
Conklin Park. (47*24.133, 116*45.313) -- southern 1/3 of lake
Floating Restaurant
The Cedars. (47*40.564, 116*48.269)
Rockford Bay (47*30.469, 116*54.020) -- not floating, gas available
Probably the best launch is near the city of Coeur d'Alene on Blackwell Island on Hwy 95. I am unsure if long-term vehicle and trailer parking is allowed, but probably is. That spot is on the Spokane River. You can boat downstream towards Post Falls and there is a restaurant called Templins that is near the dam -- it is probably less than 10 miles from the launch. If you go upstream from the Blackwell Island launch about a couple of miles you reach the lake. Also on the West side (starboard) of the lake entrance there is an excellent floating restaurant called the Cedars. Turning to port there is the city of Coeur d'Alene, and the Coeur d'Alene resort. The boardwalk around the resort allows paid overnite moorage, plus there is fuel and food at the resort and within walking distance in town. There is a burger joint called Hudsons that has been in business since the early 1900's -- it is within 2 blocks of the marina.
There is another launch and parking at the opposite end (south) of the lake at Heyburn Park. To get there it is about 20 miles from St. Maries, ID. At any of the camp spots you can access most anywhere on the lake -- or anywhere up either the St. Joe or the Coeur d'Alene rivers. For sure, about 16 miles up the Coeur d'Alene river there is a lake called Killarney Lake(entrance at 47*30.362, 116*33.363) that should be visited, and consideration given to camping on Popcorn Island (47*31.510, 116*34.090) within that lake. Also, the St. Joe river should be navigated up to and past St. Maries clear to the shallows of White Tail Flats, several miles upstream of St. Maries -- this is around 20 miles from the river entrance. There is a boat park on the way up to St. Maries at about 47*19.5, 116*37.15. To enter the river you pass under an old railroad grade that is now a beautiful bike path of about 75 miles in length, most of which is passing towards the town of Harrison, and up the Coeur d'Alene river to the mining district clear to Wallace, Idaho. If you ride bikes you should consider it. Bikes can be rented in Harrison.
crowleykirk
New member
Man, it’s a zoo this time of year. (Summer) Gets super windy there. Fuel dock and slip at the CDA resort can get crazy. Fun and beautiful but the weekends are nuts. CDA and the town are one busy place. Would not want to live there.
There are several coves for dock overnighting as well, pretty cool.
Cedars restaurant offers boat up dock for dinning. Higher end place at entrance to the CDA river. Take a trip up the river if you have time. But again, be prepared for masses of boats and people all over the place. No rules there it seems. Lots of nice homes.
It was an adventure
Have fun.
There are several coves for dock overnighting as well, pretty cool.
Cedars restaurant offers boat up dock for dinning. Higher end place at entrance to the CDA river. Take a trip up the river if you have time. But again, be prepared for masses of boats and people all over the place. No rules there it seems. Lots of nice homes.
It was an adventure
Have fun.T.R. Bauer
New member
It is one nice place to go. It's been 30 years since I was there though and it sounds like how nice it is has been discovered. If you don't want the crowds and commercialization, drive up the road to Priest Lake, it's a nice drive and beautiful lake that hasn't been discovered quite yet. That's where I go when I'm in the area.