Priest Lake

Priest Lake is one of Idaho’s most beautiful and remote lakes — a long, narrow glacial lake in the forested mountains of the northern Panhandle, about 25 miles long with a smaller upper lake, Priest Lake’s ‘thoroughfare’ linking them through a channel of islands and channels. Set in an ancient forest of western red cedar, western hemlock and fir, the lake’s water is remarkably clear and cold, and the surrounding wilderness remains largely undeveloped.

Priest Lake State Park and the surrounding national forest protect much of the shoreline. The lake is renowned among anglers for its bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout — sensitive fish that require cold, clean water, whose presence speaks to the lake’s pristine quality. With secluded beaches, boat-in campsites, hiking into the Selkirk Mountains and a genuine sense of wild remoteness, Priest Lake is a treasured natural jewel of northern Idaho.

Summer (July through early September) is the prime season, when the water warms enough for swimming, the beaches are open and the boat-in campsites are accessible — though the lake is quieter and more remote than more southerly Idaho lakes even at peak season. Late summer sees warm days and ideal boating conditions. Spring and fall are cool and beautiful, with fall color in the surrounding forest, but the water is cold and services thin out. Winter brings heavy snow and closes most facilities. Summer for the full lake experience — swimming, boating and fishing — is the highlight, and reserving campsites well ahead is essential.

Priest Lake is home to bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout — cold-water specialists that require pristine, clear water — along with other fish including lake trout and perch. Above the waterline the lake and surrounding ancient forest host black bears, moose, white-tailed deer, woodland caribou (the southernmost herd in the contiguous US inhabits the nearby Selkirks), mountain lions, ospreys and bald eagles fishing the lake, and a rich forest birdlife. Priest Lake is among Idaho’s finest wildlife areas, offering the chance to see rare cold-water fish, forest predators and the remarkable woodland caribou of the Selkirks.

Priest Lake is cold — even in summer the deep water and shaded northern coves remain frigid; wear life jackets when boating, and be aware of cold-water shock risk if you fall in far from shore. The lake is large and exposed to north winds that can raise waves quickly; check forecasts before heading out on the open water. The surrounding forest is prime black bear and mountain lion country; store food properly and be alert on trails. Services are limited; fuel up, bring supplies and carry a paper map (cell coverage is spotty). Respect the cold water, the remoteness and the wildlife.

Priest Lake offers boating, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding and swimming in its clear water, with sandy beaches including the famous Kalispell Bay beach and Indian Creek beach, boat-in campsites accessible only by water on the upper lake, hiking and mountain biking in the surrounding Kaniksu National Forest and Selkirk Mountains, wildlife watching, and the quiet of a relatively undeveloped northern lake. Fishing for bull trout and westslope cutthroat, boating on the clear water, and exploring the boat-in campsites and upper lake are the signature draws of this wild and beautiful lake.

Priest Lake was part of the homeland of the Kalispel (Pend d’Oreilles) people, who lived throughout the Pend Oreille country and used the lake. The area was explored and logged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and a few resorts established on the lake. The Forest Service protected much of the surrounding land, and Priest Lake State Park was created to protect key shorelines. The lake’s relative remoteness has helped preserve its pristine character. Priest Lake preserves this wild northern gem and its ancient forest, a treasured natural icon of the Idaho Panhandle.

Priest Lake occupies a long, narrow basin carved by glaciers during the Ice Age in the heavily glaciated mountains of the northern Idaho Panhandle. The lake’s elongated shape and depth (over 300 feet at its deepest) reflect the powerful erosion of valley glaciers that flowed through the Selkirk Mountains, leaving the lake’s basin and the moraines that partially dam its outlet. The surrounding Selkirk Mountains are built of ancient metamorphic and granitic rocks. The glacial carving and the deep mountain basin created this pristine northern lake.

Priest Lake is a cold, clear, oligotrophic lake set within one of the most intact ancient forest ecosystems in the Inland Northwest — western red cedar, western hemlock and grand fir on the wetter slopes, and a rich understory supporting diverse wildlife including the endangered Selkirk woodland caribou. The lake’s bull trout and westslope cutthroat are ecological indicators of water quality; their presence confirms the lake’s pristine condition. Protecting the watershed, the cold clear water, the old-growth forest and the sensitive fish and caribou sustains this rare and precious ecosystem.

Priest Lake holds a special place in northern Idaho’s outdoor culture — a remote, wild lake in the ancient cedar forest of the Panhandle, known among anglers and paddlers as one of Idaho’s finest wilderness lake experiences, and loved for its sandy beaches, clear water and genuine sense of remoteness even in the height of summer. It is the kind of place Idaho old-timers speak of with quiet reverence. Priest Lake is a cherished natural icon of the northern Panhandle, a gem of the Inland Northwest.

Priest Lake is in the far northern Idaho Panhandle, reached by State Route 57 from U.S. Highway 2 near Priest River, about two hours north of Coeur d’Alene. Priest Lake State Park has multiple units along the lake with campgrounds, boat launches and beaches (fees and reservations apply). Kaniksu National Forest surrounds much of the lake. The nearest airport is in Spokane, Washington, about 90 minutes away. Summer weekends at the most popular beach and campground areas fill early — reserve well ahead. Check Idaho State Parks and Kaniksu National Forest for fees, reservations, facilities and conditions before visiting.

Idaho State Parks and the Kaniksu National Forest protect the lake’s shorelines and watershed. The bull trout and westslope cutthroat are sensitive species protected under state and federal law. Visitors help by cleaning, draining and drying watercraft to prevent aquatic invasive species, practicing clean and quiet boating (the lake’s northern end is especially sensitive), camping only in designated sites, packing out everything, and following special fishing regulations. The pristine water, the old-growth forest and the sensitive fishery are irreplaceable. Protecting them sustains the wild character of this precious northern lake.

Clean, drain and dry watercraft to prevent aquatic invasive species (inspections apply at launch ramps). A state park fee applies at Priest Lake State Park units; camping and boat-in sites require reservations. Follow special fishing regulations for bull trout and westslope cutthroat (check Idaho Fish & Game for current rules — these are sensitive native species). Camp only in designated sites; follow bear-country food storage rules. No motorized vehicles in designated wilderness areas. Pets must be leashed. Pack out all trash. Check Idaho State Parks and Kaniksu National Forest for fees, reservations and current rules before visiting.

The small community of Coolin at the lake’s foot, the town of Priest River to the south, the Selkirk Mountains and their trails, the Upper Priest Lake Scenic Area (the wilder ‘thorofare’ connecting the two lakes), the Salmo-Priest Wilderness with its woodland caribou, and the Lake Pend Oreille country to the south lie near Priest Lake. Priest Lake anchors the wildest corner of Idaho’s Panhandle, a centerpiece of a northern Idaho wilderness adventure easily combined with the Selkirk backcountry and the lake’s forested islands.

Reserve your campsite or boat-in site at Priest Lake State Park well in advance — the most popular sites book up months ahead. Bring a canoe or kayak to explore the thoroughfare channel between the two lakes and paddle to the quieter upper lake; rent a fishing boat from one of the local outfitters if you want to try for bull trout or cutthroat. Pack food, supplies and a paper map since services are limited and cell coverage is poor. Clean your boat carefully to protect the pristine water, and watch for moose and black bears on the forest trails.