Coeur d'Alene Kayaking

Did you know? Coeur d'Alene is a French name. Fur traders named their trading post in respect for the tough trading practices of local Indian tribes. Translated literally, it means "Heart of the Awl," or more figuratively,"sharp-hearted."

Lake Coeur d'Alene in Northern Idaho is located near I-90 and is less than an hour from Spokane, Washington. The lake is about 30 miles long and ranges from 1 to 3 miles wide. It has 135 miles of magnificent kayaking shoreline and is an average of 120 feet deep. The water volume of Lake Coeur d'Alene is approximately 2.8 km³ (0.67 cubic miles).

Today, Lake Coeur d'Alene is fed primarily by the Saint Joe, Saint Maries, and Coeur d'Alene River, but the lake was originally formed by melting glaciers. The water level rose significantly with the construction of Post Falls Dam in 1906 on the Spokane River, Lake Coeur d'Alene's primary outflow. The water level is consistently about seven feet higher during the summer months thanks to the regulation of the Post Falls Dam.

Lake Coeur d'Alene is home to a wide variety of wildlife, birds, and fish. Kayaking Cougar Bay Preserve with ROW Adventures may give you the chance to spot some of the Coeur d'Alene's most treasured wildlife. Migrating and nesting waterfowl, numerous shorebirds, songbirds, moose, beaver, otter and deer all call Lake Coeur d'Alene home.

Historically, the lake was used as the primary method of transportation for the lumber industry that flourished in the area. In the early 1900s, drivers wanting to save time attempted to cross over the frozen lake instead of driving around Lake Coeur d'Alene and most often failed. The numerous sunken Model Ts are a popular sight for divers wanting to visit these undisturbed pieces of history. Several steamboats have also been found at the bottom of the lake. These steamboats were burned when the public no longer used them to ferry themselves across and were left to rest far beneath the surface. 

Today, the city of Coeur d'Alene is a thriving resort community on the shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene. Our town has become known as the playground of the Pacific Northwest for its luxury accommodations and a wealth of recreation opportunities and attractions in a stunning natural setting. As the mining and timber industries decline, the region is becoming more and more dependent upon the growing travel and tourism industry. 

The southern third of Lake Coeur d'Alene is owned by the Coeur d'Alene Tribe. An executive order issued by Ulysses S. Grant in 1873 transferred ownership to the Tribe. The Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation originally included all of Lake Coeur d'Alene, but after a series of treaty agreements, the reservation was reduced to its present size. The Environmental Protection Agency has ruled that the Tribe may set its own water-quality standard on its portion of Lake Coeur d'Alene and the Saint Joe River. The Coeur d'Alene Tribe might have been the first people to kayak Lake Coeur d'Alene.