Going to get to Lake Coeur d' Alene or bust in early August

P

potter water

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Still Crazy will be heading to Coeur d' Alene about August 2. This will be my last chance this year to get Still Crazy on the water as I will be starting some radiation to beat down a non-life threatening but irritating recurrent cancer in early September. After that I'm through boating 'till spring of 2014. I've not put the boat on that Lake yet, but it looks wonderful.

Will someone familiar with that lake outline a nice 7 day cruise itinerary from south to north or vice versa. Anchoring out a few nights will be nice, but we like marinas too and will want to be in one every other day or more. I've looked at the marina's web sites, but pretty pictures don't always tell the tale of what to expect.

Thanks ahead of time for any input.
 
Susan and Harry,

We are locals in Coeur d'Alene but have a lot less information than we should about the lake. It seems like we spend time on our "home" lake as day trips rather than overnight cruising, but we will be happy to provide any information that we can. If nothing else we can help with parking/shuttles, etc. I will send you a pm as well.

Jim
 
Harry, sorry to hear about the cancer! Wishing you the best!

While you're in the area, consider a visit to Priest Lake. If power boats can still go to the upper lake, it is well worth the visit.
 
So sorry to hear about the irritating cancer. Stay with the treatments and therapy and our best wishes to you.

Click this site for some ideas on Coeur d'Alene:

http://cruisingamerica-halcyondays.com/coeur.htm

Also on our website are background tales on the other top of Idaho Lakes. We particular enjoyed Priest, but all are GREAT!

Have a wonderful cruise. And best regards - El and Bill
 
Susan & Harry, I wish you the best with the radiation treatment-

You might contact Digger here on the forums. He is who I bought my boat from and our sea trial was actually on that very lake.
 
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.

If you need more info, pm me and I will gladly help. Ron
 
Sound like a wonderful area to visit. I just completed reading a book called "steamboats in the timber" by Rudy El Hult. Very interesting look at the boating history of the area which was driven by the timber and mining industry. It was written in the 50's so it has a very different take on history then I think you would get today if you read a book on the same subject, so its interesting just in that aspect. most likely not in print today but I will mail my copy to any one that would like to read it.
 
I'd love to read it. I will be sorta home bound after I squeeze in the trip to the north lakes. I'll need a lot of books about boats and lakes.

Please PM me. I will send it back when I'm done.
 
Harry,

Wish you the best in the future treatments.

In consideration of N. Idaho lakes, Priest Lake is pretty nice, North Priest is great, with some remoteness, and an interesting challenge to navigate the "Channel" and then there is Pend Orielle, between Priest and Coeur d'Alene Lake. My favorite is Pend Orielle because it has the variety of the others, and still has some "big-water" feel. (Remember there are Submarines there). And a great variety of places to stay. Forest marine parks stated parks and marinas.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon
 
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