Priest Lake

Our summer vacation in July of 2006 took us way up north to Priest Lake. It is so far north that it is almost in Canada. Priest Lake is one of Idaho's largest lakes with nearly 80 miles of shoreline covering 23,000 acres. The surrounding countryside is heavily forested and very beautiful. There are many places to see off of the lake including over 50 miles of hiking trails. The lake is pretty shallow compared to neighboring Lake Pend Oreille being only about 300 feet deep at it's deepest point. On the other hand, the shallow nature of the lake allows for some pretty good anchorages. If you have a shallow draft boat, you might consider heading up through the Thorofare to Upper Priest Lake. We took our Hunter 260 up there, but did find it a bit tight making it through the sand bars near the lower end. Past that, it took my wife at the wheel and me on the bow watching for fallen logs, rocks, etc. We had no problems, but you are on your own, so be cautious if you choose to take on this adventure. We hope you enjoy the photos and write-up on Priest Lake and look forward to hearing about "your" trip to this wonderful place. Have fun! Jim & Kelli Click on the links below, or on the numbered dots on the map to see other pages specifically for those points of interest. (1) Bishop's Marina (2) Blue Diamond Marina (3) Cavanaugh Bay Resort (4) Eight Mile Island (5) Indian Creek State Park (6) Indian Creek Anchorage (7) Bear Creek Bay (8) Mosquito Bay (9) Thorofare (10) Upper Priest Lake (11) Kaniksu Marina (12) Grandview Resort (13) Elkins Resort (14) Kalispell Island (15) Bartoo Island (16) Priest Lake Marina (17) Hills Resort (18) Outlet Bay