The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
45°F
Current Conditions
Overcast clouds
View complete weather report
Subscribe now

This is a good spot to enjoy last days of season

A hiker strolls along the beach at Evan's Landing. (Mike Kincaid/Handle Extra / The Spokesman-Review)
M.D. Kincaid Special to Handle Extra
A hiker strolls along the beach at Evan's Landing. (Mike Kincaid/Handle Extra / The Spokesman-Review)

Take advantage of remaining summer days with a hike to a great little beach on Lake Pend Oreille, the largest body of fresh water in Idaho.

The trek to the lake is all downhill, but beware – payback is tough, with a steep hike on the return leg. For boaters, this is about a 10-mile ride above Bayview, or eight miles below Garfield Bay.

This is a nice spot for swimming, sunbathing, picnics and fishing – kokanee salmon spawn in the gravel near Evan’s landing.

Access: From I-90 and U.S. Highway 95, go north for approximately 42 miles. Turn right on the Blacktail Creek Road cutoff (11 miles south of Sandpoint and just south of Cocolalla Lake). Drive three miles to a right on Little Blacktail Mountain Road and go two miles. Turn right on East Ridge Road and follow the signs to the trailhead. Hike two miles to Lake Pend Oreille. For those with a GPS, the coordinates at the beach are N48.04.525, West 116.31.894.

Length: Approximately four miles roundtrip.

Elevation: The highest point on the trail is 3,240 feet above sea level, dropping 1,185 feet to the lake.

Use: Moderate.

Trail condition: Mostly well-packed with the last half mile narrow, steep, sandy, eroded and overgrown in parts.

Difficulty: Rated “more difficult” by the Forest Service, but most local hikers consider it moderate until the last half mile. Special care is needed on the last leg to the beach to avoid slipping in the loose dirt and rocks on the cliff’s edge.

Restrictions: No motorized vehicles (except snowmobiles in the winter). Please pack out your trash.

What to see: Occasional wildlife and great views of Lake Pend Oreille.

Special features: A rope tied to a tree is perfect for swinging into the cool waters of Lake Pend Oreille, but use at your own risk. The beach also offers picnic tables, fire rings and an outhouse. There is a Geocache (the treasure hunt game, using clues from the Web site, www.geocaching.com) near the trail.

Preparation: A free trail guide is available at the U.S. Forest Service, 3815 Schreiber Way in Coeur d’Alene, (208) 765-7223. The ranger office suggests leaving your trip schedule with a responsible person. Detailed topographical maps (legal description of this area is T55N R2W, Section 35) are available for purchase from the following vendors in Coeur d’ Alene: Black Sheep Sporting Goods, The Yacht Club Sales and Service and North Idaho Blueprint. Check weather on Lake Pend Oreille on the Web site, http://lpo.dt.navy.mil/.

Gear: Good hiking boots are essential and hikers should dress for changing conditions and carry drinking water, insect repellent and a first aid kit. A suggested accessory for this trek is a walking stick for the final leg downhill.

Note: Known as the quietest acoustic testing facility in the Navy, Lake Pend Oreille is a test site for scale replicas of submarines. A new stealth jet-propelled, 133-foot above-water ship was recently added to the fleet. The largest game fish taken from the lake was recorded in 1995 as a 43 lb. 6 oz. mackinaw (lake trout).