Hiking in Grand Coulee, part 2 Northrup Canyon.

Northrup Canyon is park of Steamboat Rock State park and the trailhead is located on the east (inland) side of State Road 155 about three miles north of the main park entrance. I made the visit on Sunday, March 17, 2024 after spending most of the day on top of Steamboat Rock. There is a fee to enter the park. I highly recommend purchasing an annual Discover Pass through the Washington State Parks Department.

Northrup Canyon is a classic basalt gorge, typical of the area.

At the trailhead, a second hiking option, The Old Wagon Road splits off to the right and climbs the south wall of the canyon. It looked well worth exploring but unfortunately I only had time to take the main trail to an abandoned farmstead before the sun when down.

The relatively level old farm road winds through the canyon with a mix of sage brush, open pine forests and wetlands between imposing basalt walls.

The views are stunning and the walking is easy to the old farm buildings.

Several out buildings in various stages of decay made for interesting photographic backgrounds.

The old farm house looked like it could be a very lonely and isolated place. Notice the large basalt arch on the canyon wall above and to the right of the building.

The view from the living room window. The trail continues another mile and a half further on a steeper single track to a small lake. I will have to explore this option at a later date.

Dramatic rock formations loom over much of the trail. Basalt is the most unfriendly rock.

The round trip to the farm and back is a little under four miles. Going all the way to the lake and back would be just over six miles. This trail is definitely on my list for a return visit.

Hiking in Grand Coulee, part 1 Steamboat Rock

I took a two and a half hour drive west to sample a couple of unique hikes in Steamboat Rock State Park. On the way made a quick stop to admire the mighty Grand Coulee Dam. First was the hike to the top of Steamboat Rock and later that day, I visited Northrup Canyon. There is a fee to enter the park. I highly recommend purchasing an annual Discover Pass through the Washington State Parks Department.

In terms of generating electricity, Grand Coulee is the leading producer in the United States. A short drive up the hill rewards the traveler with this view from the Crown Point Vista.

The drive along Banks Lake offers miles of stunning scenery from inside the coulee.

Steamboat Rock is an impressive basalt monolith in the middle of the coulee and is almost surrounded by Banks Lake.

A short but moderately strenuous hike climbs about 700 feet to the top of the rock where multiple paths provide access to amazing views.

Banks Lake offers excellent kayaking if the wind co-operates.

Shear drop offs requires close supervision of children and pets.

View to the south.

Bald Eagles and other birds of prey take advantage of the updrafts created by the basalt walls and lake breezes.

White tail deer frequent the shore line and the flat plateau on top of the rock.

The hike back down.

Lake Killarney

One of the chain of lakes along the Coeur d’Alene River between Cataldo and Harrison, Killarney Lake is one of North Idaho’s hidden gems. The Lake is accessible off of State Road 3 about 10 miles south of Interstate 90. At the boat launch there is also a small campground. Additionally on Popcorn Island there are several boat-in only camp sites.

The 700 acre lake is shallow, limiting power boats.

In addition to Popcorn Island with its dock, floating vault toilet and designated campsites, this rugged island is found near the western shore of the lake.

Not all of the lake is weedy, much is open water and they say the fishing is exceptional.

A short channel connects the lake to the Coeur d’Alene River.

The pilings are a mystery to me. Possibly an old loading dock or railroad spur line. Either way it makes for a good background.

Moose are often seen by the patient kayaker.

Lake Creek Canyon

A hidden gem of a kayak trip right in Lake Coeur d’Alene.

The access for this most excellent flat water kayak trip is from the Sun-up Bay boat ramp east of US-95 about thirty minutes south of Coeur d’Alene. After launching follow the north shore of Sun-up and Windy Bays pass the girl scout camp and find the entrance to Lake Creek.

At the head of Windy Bay, a small creek enters the lake through an area of extensive cattails and bull rushes.

As you enter the creek you will enjoy the view of the low basalt cliffs.

The creek is navigable for about one and a half miles up stream before it shoals out. For a longer ride extend your trip by staying on the south shore of Windy and 16 to 1 Bays and then crossing Cave Bay so you can land in Mowery State Park, roughly across the main body of the lake from Harrison.

The Trail of the Coeur d’Alene’s part 1

The Trail of the Coeur d’Alene’s is a seventy two mile long paved rail trail that almost crosses the Idaho panhandle from Plummer to Mullan. The trail was constructed on a former railroad that was primarily used to haul mining ore from the Silver Valley to Spokane as part of a remediation for a super fund site. This trail is consistently rated as one of the top ten bicycle trails in the United States due to its scenic beauty, accessibility to a major urban area and the variety of landscapes it traverses. The trail can be best described in four sections. From west to east, the direction of the prevailing summer wind, the first fifteen miles are almost exclusively located within the boundaries of the Coeur d’Alene Reservation and this part of the trail is managed by the tribe. The western terminus of the trail is located in Plummer Idaho, the largest town in the reservation and is just of off US95, the primary north south road through the panhandle. From Plummer, the trail crosses a couple of miles of mixed farmland and low density residential areas before it begins a five mile screaming descent (maybe 800 feet of elevation) to the lake were it passes through Idaho’s oldest state park, Heyburn State Park. It then crosses the south end of the lake on a modified railroad bridge and then follows the shoreline of the lake another seven miles in to the historic town of Harrison just outside the reservation boundary. Harrison is located on State Road 97 and is easily accessible (thirty minute drive) from Interstate 90.

At the Plummer Trailhead, the tribe memorializes all of its members who gave their lives in the defense of their nation from the the present back to and including their war against the United States in the 1800’s. Everyone should honor their heritage and the sacrifice of those who fought for their freedom. This should be a lesson for all of us.

The Chatcolet Bridge connecting Heyburn State Park to the eastern shore of the lake is a highlight of the trail. The original center pivot swing bridge was raised to allow boat traffic and the approaches were rebuild in a stair step design that makes climbing to the top easier and descending an adventure.

Along the eastern shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene the old rail road cut off several points to make the route smoother creating these scenic views.

This is the view heading north towards Harrison Idaho.

In Harrison, a short ride or walk up the hill will bring you to a small park, two nice restaurants and an ice cream shop. Just past the center of town one can still see the remnants of industrial buildings that utilized the old railroad.

Where the Coeur d’Alene River meets the lake is called Harrison Slough. You can see fields of water lily’s in bloom most of the summer.

The Friends of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alene’s.

The Hiawatha Trail

The Hiawatha Trail follows the old railroad route of the Milwaukee Railroad from the Taft tunnel at the Montana and Idaho state line to Pearson’s about fifteen miles down the grade. The Olympian trail continues into Montana to about St. Regis and old rail line can be followed down to Avery on the St. Joe River on a forest service road through several more one lane tunnels and over a couple of high trestle bridges. The former transcontinental rout continues west along the St. Joe River and across Washington as the Palouse to Cascades Trail. Here are a few photos of the Hiawatha.

After navigating the one and a half mile tunnel under the Bitterroot divide, this is the Idaho end of the tunnel.

One of the high trestle bridges over side canyons.

And then straight into a short tunnel.

More high bridges for your enjoyment.

Wildlife

Some wildlife is epic and some not much so, but it is here to appreciate.

There are numerous short tunnels leading down to Pearson’s.

After turning the bend, you can see where you were.

Looking down across Loop Creek

If you’re heading up, you can also see the bridges you have crossed.

The view from one of the bridges. Vertigo.

Tunnel #28.

One the deck of one of the trestles.

Looking down off of one of the bridges.

At the bend looking down Loop Creek.

The view looking across Loop Creek.

Leaving one of the tunnels.

There is a significant fee to ride the trail that can be paid at Lookout Mountain or on site during the season. A shuttle is available to take riders from Pearson’s back up to the Taft Tunnel also for a significant fee. I prefer to drive over Moon Pass from Wallace Idaho to the lower trailhead at Pearson’s and grind it up hill through the tunnel and coast back enjoying the scenery and saving some cash. The official site is here.

The Friends of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alene’s website has information on more bicycle trails in North Idaho.

The Centennial Trail

The North Idaho Centennial Trail has its east end at Higgins Point on Lake Coeur d’Alene and travels west to the Washington Stateline where it changes its name to the Spokane River Centennial Trail. My favorite section to ride is from Falls Park in Post Falls to the end to the trailhead in Millwood, eighteen miles to the west. At this point the trail shares the road for a few miles until it crosses Mission Avenue in Spokane. Millwood is a good place to turn around to avoid riding with cars. East of downtown Post Falls the trail also shares the road with motor vehicles for a couple of miles.

The trail west of Falls Park in Post Falls.

Approaching the Spokane River Bridge and the state line.

The old railroad bridge over the Spokane River.

Lupines along the trail in Washington.

The trail just west of Barker Road in Spokane Valley.

The trail between mile markers 8 and 9 in Washington.

The trail closely parallels the Spokane River in Washington.

The Friends of the North Idaho Centennial Trail.

The Trail of the Coeur d’Alene’s

The Trail of the Coeur d’Alene’s is a major reason I chose to move from Central Florida to North Idaho back in 2006. This 72 mile long paved bike trail almost spans the Idaho Panhandle from Mullan to Plummer. The River section is in my opinion the most scenic part closely followed by the section on the Coeur d’Alene reservation. The east end through the Silver Valley also is worth a visit and I ride it at least once a year. This trial is consistently ranked in the top ten bicycle trails in the nation and I still think its under rated. I’ve ridden the Mickelson in South Dakota, the Elroy Sparta in Wisconsin, the Chesapeake and Ohio in Maryland and the Withlacoochee in Florida and this trail is hands down more scenic and enjoyable.

The bridge north of Cataldo.

Where the North and South Forks meet close to the Snake Pit restaurant.

A view of the river from the trail.

Always keep to the left unless passing an oncoming moose.

A nice view of Frost Peak north of Cataldo.

Cottonwoods along the trail.

Wetlands along the trail near Medimont.

More wildlife along the trail.

Between the Bull Run Lake and Black Rock Trailheads.

The Trail of the Coeur d’Alene’s provides a diverse range of experiences for bicycle riders. These photos are all from the middle or as I like to call it, the River section. From Enaville to Harrison, the trail closely follows the Coeur d’Alene River for about thirty miles. In my opinion this is the most scenic and enjoyable part of the trail. I usually start at the Enaville Trailhead across Forest Road 13 from the locally famous Snake Pit Restaurant and Bar and ride into the prevailing summer wind to Medimont and back, a forty-four mile round trip. Another excellent option is to leave from the Bull Run Lake trailhead and ride the round trip to Harrison. Harrison has at least two very good restaurants and an ice cream shop.

The Friends of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alene’s.