As a California native, I see Coeur d'Alene as "Tahoe without tourists." Like Tahoe, it is a lake, a city and a state of mind. Unlike Tahoe, it's rarely crowded as it attracts mostly Spokane weekenders who can get there in less than an hour and often have cabins where they can hide. You find Seattle residents in search of sun, Canadians down for shopping and fun and a growing number of American and international travelers lured by the alpine scenery, superb golf and the five star amenities of the massive Coeur d'Alene Resort.
While Coeur d'Alene may not be quite as blue as Lake Tahoe, it's a lot more forgiving for boaters and much more forgiving to anglers. You can paddle, sail or motor along the pine-clad shore in small boats, rent houseboats, or opt for day, dinner and lake cruises on paddle wheel steamers. The mix of floating craft on this lake is incredible. You can see everything from monster "zoom boats" that drink more gas than a flotilla of fishing skiffs to antique wooden steam craft that gleam with varnished teak and polished bright work. Note: The latter are on display during the summer wooden boat festival. Since the lake is so narrow and convoluted, you need to look at a map to get an idea of its extent. While the North end of the lake features steep, wooded slopes, the south end along the St. Joe River and the delta of the Coeur d'Alene River are the most interesting. Here you see verdant shores and thickets of brush and trees from water level. Only from the air or the upper deck of a tour boat do you realize that these natural levees mask a chain of other lakes which offer wonderful warm water fishing, birding and, around St. Maries, wild rice paddies. Tourists must buy wild rice. It's a rule - like calling the town "Saint Marys!"
Circumnavigation Coeur d'Alene
Don't try to drive round the lake unless you have a day to spare and the will power to not to stop at every scenic outlook and likely attraction. The west side road, Highway 95 runs well back from the water. Highways 3 and 97 to St. Maries and up the east bank are two lanes, narrow and winding. Visitors who come up from the south with time to spare should turn east on Highway 6 off Highway 95 at Potlatch and follow the scenic White Pine Scenic Route along the Palouse and St. Maries Rivers to St. Maries on the St. Joe River. Highway 97 up the east bank of the lake is the slow, but scenic route. If you plan to cut off to Kellogg and Wallace take the Highway 3 shortcut.
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