Priest Lake State Park lies just 30 miles from the Canadian Border, nestled deep below the crest of the Selkirk Mountains. Surrounded by the natural beauty of Northern Idaho and mile-high mountains, Priest Lake State Park sits along the eastern shores of Priest Lake, a 19-mile long, over 300 foot deep lake.
Visitors to the park will enjoy the dense forests of cedar, fir and tamarack and will be able to observe the park's year round inhabitants such as the whitetail deer, black bear, moose and bald eagles. Noted for its extremely clear water, fed by streams cascading from the high Selkirk peaks, the main body of Priest Lake extends north south for 19 miles. A two-mile thoroughfare connects the main lake to the remote Upper Priest Lake that is accessible only by foot, mountain bike, or boat.
The Park Today
November 16,2009
Due to budget restraints, Pack-It-In,Pack-It-Out trash procedures are in effect.
The water has been turned off at all units due to the cold weather, and reduced camping fees are in effect.
A boat launch dock will remain in place until ice forms.
We have approximately 2" of snow on the ground, but it is melting fast.
The Lionhead campground will be on a reservation system for the 2010 summer camping season. Reservations can be made nine (9) months in advance of your stay. The system is open for the start of the 2010 summer season.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER
Monitoring Requirements Not Met for
Priest Lake State Park
Indian Creek campground, Lionhead Campground
and Lionhead Group Camp
We are required to monitor your drinking water for specific contaminants on a regular basis. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether or not our drinking water meets health standards.
During July – September 2009 (3rd quarter) we did not test for total coliforms and Escherichia coli and, therefore, cannot be sure of the quality of our drinking water during that time. Even though this is not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we did (are doing) to correct this situation. We did take samples in October, and no contaminates were noted.
What should I do?
There is nothing you need to do at this time.
The table below lists the contaminant(s) we did not properly test for, how often we are supposed to sample for [this contaminant/these contaminants] and how many samples we are supposed to take, how many samples we took, when samples should have been taken, and the date on which follow-up samples were (or will be) taken.
Contaminant - Total Coliforms/Escherichia Coli
Required sampling frequency - Quarterly
Number of samples taken - 0 (3rd Quarter)
When samples should have been taken - 3rd Quarter
When samples were taken - October 2009
What is being done?
Water samples were taken in October 2009 with no contaminates noted at that time. A schedule has been made with one individual responsible for taking the samples in the future.
For more information, please contact Bud Justice at (208) 443-2200 or write to 314 Indian Creek Park Road, Coolin, ID, 83821.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
This notice is being sent to you by Priest Lake State Park.
State Water System ID#: 1090055, 1090106 & 1090207.
Date distributed: November 16, 2009.
The park offers 151 campsites, 5 camping cabins, and a group camp. Since the time of the original Indian settlers and the Jesuit Priests of the 1800s, Priest Lake has offered a diversity of activities. Park visitors can enjoy anything ranging from boating and fishing to snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.
Lying at about 2,400 feet above sea level, Priest Lake State Park has an abundance of beautiful scenery and recreational opportunities. Visitors will enjoy the dense cedar-hemlock forests and the wildlife, such as whitetail deer, black bear, moose and bald eagles. The stately Selkirk Mountain Range towers nearby and numerous streams tumble down the slopes.
Noted for its clear water, Priest Lake extends 19 miles and is connected to the smaller Upper Priest Lake by a placid, two-mile-long water thoroughfare.
Steeped in a history of Jesuit priests, Indian villages, homesteaders and logging camps, Priest Lake offers park visitors great diversity ranging from boating and fishing to snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.
Summer visitors enjoy the large sandy beach along the lakefront. Camping, fishing, boating, water-skiing, hiking and picnicking are some of the more popular activities.
In the winter, Indian Creek Unit offers access to over 200 miles of marked, groomed snowmobile trails and a myriad of cross-country skiing opportunities.
Park Restrictions:
Pets are welcome in the park, however they must be on a leash and attended at all times. Pets are not allowed on the beach areas.
FAQ's
- Where's a good place to fish?
- It depends on how you're fishing: by boat on the lake, off the bank at the lake, or on a stream. If by boat, are you capable of trolling deep or are you confined to near the surface? Surface trolling "hot spots" on the east side are along the east side of Cavanaugh Bay, and off the end of Pinto Point. Bank fishing is best along the east side of Cavanaugh Bay, and where the East Lakeshore Road runs beside the lake. Deep trolling off Kalispell and Bartoo Islands seems to be the most popular. Most streams are only open in July and August, but Soldier and Hunt Creeks are open during the regular season.
- Where are some day hikes?
- To Hunt Lake, Standard Lakes, Lookout Mountain, Upper Lake. Ask rangers for directions
- Where are the huckleberries?
- They ripen at the lower elevations usually starting in mid July. The Lion Creek drainage seems to be consistently productive. Berries ripen there in later July-early August. Later pickings are better up high.