With all of the presidential campaigning and primary hoopla, I thought it appropriate to ask some former presidents their opinion. So far, no comment.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is located near Keystone, South Dakota and features some of America’s greatest presidential hits.
Mount Rushmore is an amazing place to visit and should be included on every family road trip within a 100 mile radius. Give or take. It’s fun and educational!
Over the years people have suggested other presidents be added to the monument — who would you like to see on Mount Rushmore?
The northern panhandle of Idaho is my family’s stomping ground. Over the years, we’ve discovered a great number of cool and exciting places to take the kids. So, when people ask what there is to do around here with children, I always have a ready list of sights and activities that will make any family vacation a memorable one.
Ten Cool Things For Kids In North Idaho
1. World’s Longest Gondola Ride
Silver Mountain Gondola
In the town of Kellogg, you can board the longest gondola in the world for a 20 minute ride to the Mountain Haus terminal at the top of Silver Mountain, a climb of 3400 vertical feet. In the winter, you’ll find some of the best ski runs around, but in the summer you can hike the nature trails, go mountain biking, or ride the chair lifts for more scenic beauty even higher up the mountain.
2. Hiawatha Bike Trail
Along the Hiawatha Bike Trail
I’ve covered this amazing trail already, but it bears repeating: This is an incredibly easy ride for kids of all ages. 17 miles of gradual downhill biking through stunning wilderness, with a shuttle bus waiting for you at the end to take you back to your car. The 1.6-mile Taft Tunnel alone will keep your children talking about this adventure for a long time.
3. Digging For Garnets
Digging for star garnets
There are only two places in the world to find star garnet gem stones… India and Idaho. Near the tiny town of Clarkia, Idaho, is the forested Emerald Creek Garnet Area, run by the US Forest Service, where you can dig into a massive pile of mud and gravel, then use sluice boxes to search for star garnets. What kid doesn’t like playing in the mud?
4. Coeur d’Alene City Park and Independence Point
Coeur d'Alene City Beach and City Park
Just west of downtown Coeur d’Alene, the 16-acre City Park and Independence Point sits on the northern shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene. Here you’ll find a wide range of free activities, from playing on a huge wooden castle in the park to splashing on the smooth sands of City Beach. For something more adventurous, you can rent paddle boats, kayaks, and jet skis, or, view the lake from above via parasail or float plane.
5. Tubbs Hill Beaches
A secluded beach on Lake Coeur d'Alene
If you’re in Coeur d’Alene and you want to get away from the crowds at City Beach, I suggest taking a hike on Tubbs Hill, a 135-acred forested peninsula with a 2-mile loop trail that will take you to one of dozens of secluded beaches. Oh, there will still be people out there during the summer, just not as many. All along the trail, older kids will find rope swings and high rocks so they can fling themselves into the water below. Our favorite Tubbs Hill beach is at the tip of the peninsula, where there are smaller rocks for the kids to play on. Just a warning, though… Bring swim shoes. These beaches are mostly rocky, and not easy on bare feet.
6. Sierra Silver Mine Tour
Inside the Sierra Silver Mine
We’ve been on this tour so many times, I should get frequent miner miles. The tour starts in downtown Wallace, a town that is so historic they put the whole place on the National Registry of Historic Places. A trolley takes you up to the mine itself, where you don hardhats and then descend into a cool dark tunnel that winds into the mountain for over 1,000 feet. During the 90-minute tour, you’ll learn a lot about hard rock mining and the history of the Silver Valley. It’s completely safe, although a little bit noisy when they demonstrate the hydraulic equipment.
7. David Thompson Game Preserve
Oh, deer.
Located along the northern shore of Lake Pend O’Reille, this game preserve is cool with my kids for one reason. There are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of whitetail deer there, grazing contentedly along the paths and roads, and in amongst the Beyond Hope RV Park. Several years ago, the owners prohibited feeding the very tame deer, but it’s still fun to walk among them.
8. Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes
Chatcolet Bridge, on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes
I don’t propose you make your kids pedal the entire 73-mile paved Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. That’s a long way. But you can certainly ride portions of the trail, which spans almost the entire panhandle and runs along rivers and lakes, over trestles and bridges, and through several historic small towns. There are 20 trailheads with parking and restrooms, so you can begin your ride anywhere. One of our favorite short rides starts in Heyburn State Park and crosses the 3100-foot Chatcolet Bridge, which spans the southern end of Lake Coeur d’Alene. Another beautiful spot to start a ride is near the Old Mission at Cataldo, where you can ride east along the north fork of the Coeur d’Alene River.
9. University of Idaho Arboretum and Botanical Garden
Stopping to smell the roses
Amid the rolling hills of Moscow, in the middle of the campus of the University of Idaho, sits 63 acres of walking trails, ponds, creeks, and, of course, lush vegetation divided into geographical regions. Don’t tell your kids that it’s educational, just let them roam the grounds and discover things for themselves. There are rare flowers and trees, and plenty of granite benches to sit or climb on. My kids had the most fun exploring the creek and ponds, where a student researcher patiently showed them tadpoles and frogs. The arboretum is open year-round, and it’s free.
10. Silverwood Theme Park
The kids drive dad at Silverwood
This goes without saying. Silverwood, the northwest’s largest theme park, is the #1 destination of families heading to North Idaho. Between the rides and the adjoining water park, all of which falls under just one admission price, your kids will be in paradise. Rollercoasters in the morning, water slides in the afternoon!
Spring is about to be sprung on us here in the Pacific Northwest. The one thing I look forward to most with the passing of winter is packing my kids into the car and finding a mountain trail somewhere nearby so I can stretch out my legs and shake off the cabin fever.
I’m familiar with most of the easy trails in Eastern Washington, North Idaho, and Western Montana. By “easy” I mean, simple day hikes that won’t end with one or another child having a meltdown, pleading with me to “never do this again.” No, we’ve been on those hikes and I learned my lesson.
Today I’m going to highlight eight fun family hiking trails in North Idaho, close to the towns of Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls, Idaho, and not too far from the metropolis of Spokane, Washington. If you’re in the area for a vacation, or just passing through on I-90, any of these treks will make for a fun, and relatively short, way to experience the wonder and wilderness of Idaho’s great outdoors.
Tubbs Hill Picnic Spot
Tubbs Hill in Coeur d’Alene – It’s the crown jewel of Coeur d’Alene, situated right next to downtown. We’ve made this into two separate hikes; one from the 3rd Street parking lot out to the halfway point and back, and a second hike from the east side parking lot on 10th St. to the halfway point and back. Either one, or all the way around, is mostly level, with awesome views of the lake and hundreds of perfect picnic spots. You can walk to Tubbs Hill from any downtown hotel or bed and breakfast.
Q’emiln Park in Post Falls – The hiking trails start right at the parking lot near the west entrance to the park. There are spectacular views of the Spokane River, and the rock climbing walls provide a chance for the kids to watch people scaling the vertical rocks. On a hot summer day the city beach with lifeguards is right there at the park for a swim or a picnic.
Higgins Point in Coeur d’Alene – At the east end of Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive, it’s a leisurely walk along a paved trail next to the lake. Perfect if you don’t want to get your feet dirty. We go past the photographer statue and up the hill into the park, then down one of the rugged trails to the water’s edge.
English Point National Recreation Trail in Hayden – This one’s kind of hidden away off Highway 95. We love looping through the woods, catching glimpses of Hayden Lake, and generally feeling like we’re in the middle of nowhere. If you’re on your way to Silverwood Theme Park, make a quick stop at English Point.
Mineral Ridge in Coeur d’Alene – The longest of the hikes, at 3.3 miles. We only do it once or twice a year, and make it an all-day trip, with a picnic at the very top where the lake view is well worth the climb. There’s a little cave to explore on the way up, and the whole area is rich with mining history.
Beauty Bay Trail in Coeur d’Alene – At the east end of Lake Coeur d’Alene on Hwy. 97, the Beauty Bay Trail is the shortest and easiest hike, at just a half-mile to a viewing deck and then another half-mile through the forest. The kids might want to walk it twice.
Ancient Cedars
Cougar Bay Preserve in Coeur d’Alene – A few miles south of the Blackwell Island Bridge on Hwy. 95, Cougar Bay is one big wildlife nursery with miles of rugged trails. If you want to pretend to be lost in the woods, this is a good place to do it.
Settlers Grove of Ancient Cedars in Murray – Further away than the other hikes, but worth the drive to the Silver Valley. It’s a quiet place, with few visitors. The level dirt trail winds through huge towering cedar trees that make you feel like you’re in another world. In Murray, the historic Sprag Pole Museum is a must-see while you’re in the area. It’s also a good place to get a huckleberry shake.
