Lake Coeur d’Alene is a 25-mile-long body of water that is 10 miles across at its widest point, with an average depth of around 100 feet. It was formerly named one of the world’s five most beautiful lakes by National Geographic.
Lake Coeur d’Alene is a natural lake that is fed by two rivers: the Coeur d’Alene River and the St. Joe River. It is located in northwestern Idaho. The Spokane River is the only outlet, and it travels westward to join the Columbia River on its route to the Pacific Ocean, where it empties into the sea.
While much of the terrain to the north of Lake Coeur d’Alene was under ice during the glacial period, frequent flooding shaped the lake’s shoreline. Indigenous canoes, early exploration vessels, cargo steamships, log drives driven by tugboats, and recreational craft of all kinds have all used its waters over the centuries.
The lake – and eventually the city of Coeur d’Alene – was named after the French name for the tribe of American Indians who inhabited in this region when French fur traders began to arrive in the late 18th century, and whose descendants still live in the area today. The moniker “heart of the awl” is French for “heart of the awl,” and it is believed by some to be a reference to the tribe’s “sharp” trading methods.
General William T. Sherman authorized the construction of a fort on the shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene in the 1870s, and he called it after the lake. North Idaho Institution, a junior college on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille, has taken over the site of what was subsequently known as Fort Sherman. Coeur d’Alene was established in 1887 as a mining town.
This region has a long and illustrious history in the forestry and mining industries. Those industries are still very much a part of the fabric of life in northern Idaho. With the opening of The Coeur d’Alene Resort in 1986, Coeur d’Alene made its debut on the international tourist scene and has since established itself as a popular vacation destination for millions of visitors.
Cedar’s Floating Restaurant is a well-known sight on Lake Coeur d’Alene. It was Valentine’s Day in 1996, and the Spokane River had reached high flood stage, putting The Cedar’s Floating Restaurant in danger of being swept away from its moorings. Captain of a tugboat, Oscar Mooney, spent several days in his boat, pushing the restaurant against the current of the river to aid in the preservation of the local landmark.
The osprey, Idaho’s most famous bird of prey, can be found on the shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene. A big bird with wingspans of up to six feet, the osprey hovers above the water in search of prey, including fish. The bird dives into the water feet first in order to collect its supper, and each foot has been specially constructed to catch and retain the slippery fish.
The bald eagle uses Lake Coeur d’Alene as a wintering ground on its migratory journey. In the months of December and January, large groups of eagles congregate to Beauty Bay to feed on the spawning kokanee salmon. On an eagle-watching cruise with Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises, you can get up up and personal with the birds.
A variety of fish, including kokanee salmon, big and smallmouth bass, and a variety of trout can be found in the lake. A Northern Pike of 39 pounds was once caught and released by a fisherman, setting an Idaho state record that remained for years.
At one point, there were more than 50 steamships operating on the lake, transporting logs, mining ore, and vacationing guests. Some of the steamers were set on fire and sunk during Fourth of July festivities when more contemporary modes of transportation were introduced to the region. In the “steamship graveyard,” a number of those early-day boats can still be found on the bottom of the lake, where they have remained since.
Another Lake Coeur d’Alene feature is the Floating Green at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course, which is located on the shores of the lake. The green, which weighs 5 million pounds, is moved by cables tied to the lake bottom, allowing the yardage to be varied between 75 and 175 yards on each hole. There are 3 or 4 hole-in-ones recorded on the green per year, on average. In a typical year, some 24,000 balls miss the target and wind up on the lake bottom, where they are recovered by divers.
On the shores of Lake Michigan, Tubbs Hill is a 120-acre natural preserve that includes hiking trails, spectacular views of the lake, a swinging bridge for navigation, and access to quiet beaches. The Tubbs Hill trailhead, located just east of the Coeur d’Alene Resort, is the starting point for the three-mile loop hike.
Coeur d’Alene Resort features 338 luxurious guest rooms and suites, a top-ranked destination spa, superb restaurants and lounges, and an award-winning golf course with the only floating green in the world. The Coeur d’Alene Resort was rated “America’s Top Mainland Resort” and “the World’s Top Travel Product” by Conde’ Nast Traveler magazine.
The Coeur d’Alene Resort Floating Boardwalk, which opened in April 1985 and is 3,300 feet long, 12 feet wide, and 10 feet deep, with a 60-foot-long bridge on the west side, is the world’s largest of its kind. It is the world’s longest of its kind. It took 16,000 cedar logs, 28,000 pounds of spikes, 16,000 lag screws, 8,000 pounds of bolts, 500,000 board feet of lumber, and 5 miles of bumper strips to construct the boardwalk and marina, which has 362-slips available.