Winter Activities in North Idaho

The majesty of our winters are awe-inspiring and transformative. A visit to North Idaho in the winter could consist of simply sitting by a roaring fire in a lakefront cabin or enjoying the freedom of our wide-open spaces to cross-country ski or snow shoe on a sparkling winter day, gliding quietly through our pristine forests.

Cross-country skiing and snow shoeing are great physical exercise and a fun activity that can be enjoyed by the entire family. Locals and visitors love to treat our great outdoors of North Idaho as a living, breathing gallery of art, while others prefer to dive in and take a more hands-on approach. You can go sliding down snow-covered mountainss on skis and snowboards at any of our amazing ski resorts, and you are sure to find one within an hours drive of any of our cities or towns.

North Idaho has terrific skiing/snowboarding at great rates too! Or, get involved with the locals and play a game of snowshoe softball at PriestLake. Whatever your prefernece winter in North Idaho will take your breath away.

Skiing in North Idaho

Snowmobiling

Snowboarding

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Hayden Lake, north of Coeur d'Alene on Hwy 95 is one of several natural lakes in northern Idaho; its shoreline is heavily populated with homes and it has limited public access. Forested hills surround this 4000-acre lake and the views are breathtaking.

The City of Hayden has six parks encompassing a total of 57.5 acres! The parks offer an abundance of recreational opportunities for active families, including boating, swimming, soccer, baseball and areas for family gatherings and picnics.

There are three boat ramps accessing the lake, located at Honeysuckle Beach, Sportsman's Park and Tobler's Marina. At Sportsman's Park on the north end, there are camp sites and handicapped facilities. 

The historic F. Lewis Clark Mansion (Clark House) was built in 1910, and at the time it was the most expensive home in Idaho. In 1914, Lewis mysteriously disappeared, and he was never heard from again. The Clark House is now an upscale bed and breakfast and dining property.

The Hayden Lake Country Club became a gathering place for many area socialites, such as Bing Crosby. A railway expansion made travel easy from nearby Spokane. HLCC opened the first 18-hole golf course in the state of Idaho in 1912. The club has hosted a number of distinguished visitors.  President Taft was an overnight guest in 1909 and Teddy Roosevelt visited in 1915.  Bing Crosby, who owned a summer home on Hayden Lake, entertained many celebrity friends at the club in the 1950’s and ’60s.

Points of interest:

Honeysuckle Beach: Located on the east end of Honeysuckle Avenue was established in 1992, is one of only two public accesses to Hayden Lake. Honeysuckle Beach provides services to both boaters and swimmers. It is ataffed by qualified lifeguards throughout the summer, and is one of the gems of the Pacific Northwest.  The beach is open from noon to 6pm during the summer months, beginning mid-June.  For information about the Honeysuckle boat launch and the associated fees, please click Huneysuckle Beach Boat Launch Info.                      

 Amenities:  Beach, volleyball court, picnic areas, public boat access, parking, public restrooms, concession stand, public fishing dock

Clark House: “Clark House on Hayden Lake” was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Hayden Lake Country Club: Once a favorite gathering place for the Coeur d’Alene Indian Tribe, the Clubs location on the shores of Hayden Lake was originally the site of the Bozanta Tavern (Bozanta is an Indian word meaning "meeting place by the lake"). J.C. Olmsted of the distinguished Brookline, Massachusetts Firm of landscape architects - who designed New York’s Central park - was brought out to plan the grounds. The lakeside resort was designed in 1907 by Kirtland Cutter, the leading Northwest architect of the era. In 1927 ownership of the tavern was transferred from the Inland Empire Railroad to a group of Spokane and Coeur d’Alene businessmen. It then became known as The Hayden Lake Country Club, and today is regarded as one of the premier clubs in the Western United States.

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Fish and Game hunting tags

To hunt in Idaho you need:

• A hunting license.
• A tag for big game species and turkey.
• Hunter education if born on or after January 1, 1975
• OR take part in our Hunting Passport program.

Proof of residency is required to buy any resident license. A resident is anyone who has been domiciled in this state with a bona fide intent to make this their place of permanent abode, for a period of not less than 6 months immediately preceding the date of application for any license, tag or permit. A senior resident is anyone age 65 and older who has lived in the state at least 6 months immediately preceding the date of application for a senior license or tag.
A driver must prove residency with a valid Idaho driver’s license. Nondrivers may use other suitable proof of residency, such as:

    An Idaho Identification Card issued by the Department of Transportation.
    Two documents bearing his or her name and address, not issued by himself or herself, such as:
    - rent receipts or mortgage statements for the previous six months
    - home utility bills for the previous 6 months
    - a notarized statement from an employer on business letterhead
    - proof of voter registration dated 6 months prior
    - in the case of a child under 18, identification from a parent.
    A previous year’s hunting, fishing or trapping license is not proof of residency.

A member of the military of the United States or of a foreign country, or a member of the Idaho National or Air National Guard, together with spouse and children under 18 residing in his or her household, on active duty and permanently stationed in Idaho for 30 days preceding application shall be eligible to buy a resident license, as long as such assignment continues.

Idaho residents, who are in the U.S. military and maintain Idaho as their official state of residence, together with spouse and children under 18 residing in his or her household, shall be eligible to buy a resident license. The service person himself or herself is eligible to buy a furlough license from any vendor while on leave. Other permits and validations must be attached as required. Please see the Options for Active Military Personnel section for more information.

Owning real property or paying property taxes within the state of Idaho is not a qualification for residency. No one can claim Idaho resident privileges while claiming resident privileges in another state, except military personnel.

    Persons who do not qualify as residents must purchase nonresident licenses.

Visit Fish and Game’s website, fishandgame.idaho.gov.

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