Ah, solitude

After the excitement of the Fourth of July weekend, how does perfect solitude sound? The clean, pristine and deep waters of Priest Lake helped earned it the tag of Idaho’s “Crown Jewel.”

For nature lovers, Upper Priest Lake is even better. Cuddled by the Selkirk Mountain Range, abundant with trees and wildlife, Upper Priest is great for kayakers wanting to get away from it all. Designated as a scenic area, the 1,300-acre lake has restrictions prohibiting wake boarding and water-skiing, and there are no roads leading it.

One of the first things new visitors notice is the lack of development – there are no stores, cabins or buildings of any kind. With the goal of preserving the lake’s “primitive environment while providing the optimum opportunity for near-wilderness boating and boat camping,” it is managed as a roadless area under a cooperative agreement between the state of Idaho and the U.S. Forest Service. Trails to the lake are open only to hiking and biking.

Beaching on the north end of Upper Priest Lake recently, I met two groups of paddlers with stories to tell. Bobby Clifford, of Spokane, was still excited about his encounter with a grizzly on a lake trail. His brother, Chris, also of Spokane, and their friend, Tom Taylor, of Coeur d’Alene, paddled their kayaks from Beaver Creek on Lower Priest Lake to Upper Priest. Logging 4.8 miles on their GPS, Chris said the trip took about two hours while “taking their time.” Although not quite the adrenaline rush of meeting a grizzly, Taylor reported making friends with a large elk and all three raved about the solitude of the 2-mile “Thorofare” of peaceful water between the upper and lower lakes. Restrictions requiring boats to traverse the Thorofare at “no-wake” speed makes the trips especially inviting to paddlers.

Scott and Tiffany Turo, from Madras, Ore., sharing a canoe, also paddled up from Beaver Creek. Tiffany met a black bear on the trail and Scott had brought in two fish from the lake so far.

Access: From Interstate 90 and U.S. Highway 95, go west on I-90 for 4.6 miles to exit 7/ID-41, turning right on ID-41. Go approximately 38.8 miles on ID-41, then turn right on U.S. Highway 2 and go 5.8 miles. Turn left on ID-57 (Ninth Street) and drive approximately 37 miles to Nordman, turning right on Reeder Bay road, then another 12 miles to the Beaver Creek Campground. Paddlers can put it in at Tule Bay and paddle along the northwest end of Priest Lake to the Thorofare.

Length: It is an approximately 6-mile roundtrip from Tule Bay (Beaver Creek Campground) to the lower part of Upper Priest Lake. More paddling miles are racked up as Upper Priest is explored.

Elevation: Upper Priest Lake is approximately 2,460 feet above sea level.

Use: Moderate

Difficulty: Easy to moderate.

Restrictions: Build campfires in an existing fire ring or dig a pit and replace the sod when through. Never leave a fire unattended and be sure your fire is out cold before you leave. Campsites should be at least 100 feet from the lakeshore and away from the main trail. Please follow the “Pack-It-In, Pack-It-Out” rule.

What to see: A great diversity of wildlife and birds and plant life.

Special features: There are four campgrounds on Upper Priest – one at the mouth of Upper Priest where the lake empties into the Thorofare; one on the southwest shore; one on the northwest shore and one on the northeast shore. The campgrounds have vault toilets, fire rings, bear-proof storage lockers and nice beaches. There is no drinking water and campers must pack out all trash.

Preparation: Maps and trail guides are 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. Visit the Priest Lake Ranger District’s Web site: http://www.fs.fed.us/ipnf/priestlake/.

Gear: In additional to normal camping and paddling gear, the following is recommended – drinking water (if lake water is used, it should be boiled for at least one minute to destroy giardia), map, sunglasses, sunscreen, compass, flashlight, extra clothing, waterproof matches, extra food, pocket knife, first aid kit, sunscreen, toilet paper, whistle, hat and of course, personal floatation devices. Since you will be in bear country, a can of bear pepper spray is a great addition.

Note: Kayak rentals are available in Coeur d’Alene at Kayak Coeur d’Alene (208) 676-1533) and North Idaho College (208) 769-5941). Rental companies on Priest Lake include Hill’s Resort (208) 443-2551), Elkins Resort (208) 443-2432) and Kaniksu (208) 443-2609).