Farragut State Park
4.6(1.8K)google
3.8(42)yelp
LakeCampingHikingFamily
Overview
Farragut State Park is a public recreation area in the northwest United States, located in northern Idaho at the southern tip of Lake Pend Oreille in the Coeur d'Alene Mountains. The 4,000-acre (6.3 sq mi; 16 km2) state park is five miles (8 km) east of Athol in Kootenai County, about thirty miles (50 km) northeast of Coeur d'Alene. Activities include camping, picnicking, hiking, mountain biking, cycling, fishing, boating, swimming, water sports, orienteering, disc golf, flying model aircraft, archery, and horseback riding.
Practical Info
Mon8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Tue8:00AM – 8:00 PM
Wed8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Thu8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Fri8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sat8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sun8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Suggested Duration3-6 hours
Best TimeSummer (June to September) is magnificent, offering excellent water temperatures on Lake Pend Oreille for boating, alongside active campgrounds and disc golf courses. Late afternoon from 5:00 PM to sunset is spectacular; sitting by the shoreline or walking the Goat Cliff trail allows you to watch the sunset paint the vast lake and distant peaks in rich crimson.
Getting ThereBecause the state park is incredibly vast, a car is required. Drive north from Coeur d'Alene on US-95 N for 20 miles, turn right onto ID-54 E, and follow it for 4 miles straight into the park's main entrance station. The interior roadways are fully paved, and individual trailheads, beaches, and the military museum offer large parking zones.
Travel Tips
- Atherton and Eagle Bay campgrounds book out 9 months ahead via IDPR; non-residents must purchase an additional out-of-state daily motor vehicle entry permit.
- Due to its history as a naval station, stay strictly on designated trails; never touch or disturb any suspicious metal objects or debris and report them to rangers.
- Lake Pend Oreille temperatures stay below 60 Fahrenheit even in mid-summer; wearing a coast-guard approved PFD is legally mandated for all paddle activities.
Reviews
Positive
- Sitting on the deep emerald waters of Lake Pend Oreille, the stunning mountain-and-lake scenery completely lives up to expectations.
- Once a WWII naval training base, the onsite museum provides a deeply engaging and rigorous historical exhibition.
- The campgrounds are modern, with spotlessly clean restrooms, showers, and wide, well-planned accessible paths.
- Features world-class disc golf courses, offering outdoor sports enthusiasts a thoroughly fun and premium activity.
Heads up
- Certain popular camping loops lack thick tree cover, resulting in poor privacy barriers and noisy proximity to neighbors.
- Due to the park's massive size, directional signage at crucial trail forks can be confusing, causing visitors to get lost.
- During peak seasons, the public beach and boat launches swarm with motorized watercraft, disrupting the natural serenity.
- Out-of-state vehicles are hit with an extra daily fee, and watercraft rentals inside carry a noticeable premium.