Now that my kids are getting older, they are more willing to take a break from waterplay to explore park trails. And when we’re camping, it’s nice to take a morning hike (or paddle) and then head to the campground beach or dock when the sun is higher in the sky.

Also, older kids and teens need independent experiences, like venturing along a trail solo or with a friend. Nature inspires soul-searching, and anytime our kids can get more screen-free serenity and exercise, the better.

These are eight of our favorite regional lake parks that offer great hiking and swimming options for hot summer days. Please note that most parks prohibit dogs on the beach, so it’s best to leave your furry kid at home.

NORTH IDAHO

City Beach & Pend d’ Oreille Bay Trail (Sandpoint): Walk the flat 3-mile trail, out and back, which follows the shoreline of Lake Pend Oreille. City Beach has it all, with plenty of lakefront sand.

Farragut State Park (Athol): Beaver Bay Beach requires a steep downhill jaunt from the parking lot and restrooms, but once you arrive there’s plenty of lakefront, calm water, and trails to explore in the forest all around the bay. Trails are also accessible right from the parking lot.

Round Lake State Park (Sagle): An easy trail loops around the lake and the beach has two docks, paddle gear rentals, and a PFD loaner station.

Tubbs Hill (Coeur d’Alene): Hike the trail, which can be a bit rocky and rugged for little kids, but you don’t need to go far to find a small sandy beach spot for private playtime. Hike in with all of your stuff, but you’ll need to hike back to the trailhead to use a porta-potty. (Restroom available at nearby McEuen Park.) Other nearby swim settings are Sanders Beach or City Beach.

WASHINGTON

Bear Lake Regional Park (Chattaroy): Hike the trail around the lake. Trees and grass hug the shoreline, so there isn’t a beach—rather, there are cement steps down to the water, which starts at a depth of about three feet. However, there are some spaces between trees to access the water.

Fish Lake & Columbia Plateau Trail State Park (Cheney): Walk the paved trail and enjoy the calm lake, popular with locals for fishing, paddling, and beach play for kids. Park at Fish Lake Park and then walk up to the state park trailhead.

Liberty Lake Regional Park (Liberty Lake): The park has miles of trails to choose from and the day-use beach—though a smaller lakefront compared to other parks—has great sand, a dock and roped-off swim area, and plenty of lake for paddling. Spokane County Parks daily fee required.

Waterfront Park (Medical Lake): A popular park with a main parking lot that fills quickly, but the layout is sweet and lake water is spring-fed, so relatively warmer than larger lakes. Walk the paved Medical Lake Trail along the west shore.

This story was published in the Inland NW Family Outdoors Guide in the May-June 2021 issue.

For more swimming stories, visit the OTO archives.

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SPOKANE COUNTY 

Fish Lake: The rustic park has a compact waterfront swimming beach and small dock, but it is a great lake for paddling or fishing. There’s a small boat launch for non-motorized watercraft (electric motors or paddling only), and the park includes playgrounds and bathroom facility (be aware that the facility receives limited maintenance). Bring a picnic blanket or camp chairs since there are no picnic tables. Nearby is a trailhead for the Columbia Plateau Trail State Park. 

Liberty Lake: A beach and playground are the highlights at Liberty Lake Regional Park (daily entrance fee required). A boat launch and dock are located at the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife access site (Discover Pass required). 

Medical Lake: Waterfront Park has expansive, grassy grounds that make it easy to physically distance from other household groups. There’s also a wide swimming beach and areas to launch a kayak or stand-up paddleboard. Enjoy a bike ride or stroll along the tree-shaded, paved Medical Lake Trail on the west shoreline. On the east shore of the lake is Coney Island Park for picnicking and wildlife viewing, and the north end has Peper Park.   

Lake Spokane: Access this 24-mile reservoir along the Spokane River, located between Nine Mile Falls and Long Lake Dam, from Riverside State Park’s Nine Mile Recreation Area or Lake Spokane campground. 

Lake Coeur d’Alene: swimming near City Park (left), sailing at NIC beach, and stand-up paddling near Tubbs Hill. // Photo: Amy McCaffree (left and upper right); Shallan Knowles (lower right).

NORTH IDAHO 

Chatcolet Lake: Heyburn State Park’s Chatcolet Day Use area has a boat launch, small primitive access sites for wading and swimming, a playground, picnic shelters, and trailhead for the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. Within the state park property, you’ll also find Plummer Point (dog friendly beach), Rocky Point Beach and Marina, and three campgrounds. 

Lake Chatcolet at Heyburn State Park. // Photos: Amy McCaffree

Coeur d’Alene Lake: There are three main access sites in the downtown core of the city of Coeur d’Alene. (1) Tubbs Hill: This city park natural area has a popular 2.2-mile loop hiking trail around the peninsula along with spur trails to access small, sandy primitive beaches. Nearby is McEuen Park, which includes a huge playground, splash pad, dog park, and boat launch. (2) City Park: Kids can enjoy the swimming beach, dig in the rocky sand, and play at Fort Sherman Playground. Picnic on the grass and bike or walk the North Idaho Centennial Trail. (3) Sunsport at Yap-Keehn-Um Beach: Also located along the Centennial Trail is a public beach at the edge of the North Idaho College campus (locals refer to it as “NIC Beach”). You can park on campus (free) or drive here via Rosenberry Drive, with limited street parking. NIC’s Outdoor Pursuits boat house rents kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and sailboats. Call ahead to confirm availability (208-769-3290).  

Hayden Lake: Honeysuckle Beach in the city of Hayden has a large swimming beach, dock, and boat launch.  

Pend Oreille Lake: There are two main public access sites for day use on the lake’s west side. (1) Sandpoint’s City Beach has a large swimming beach and playground. (2) Towards the lake’s south end, Farragut State Park’s Beaver Bay Beach provides a calm swimming area. 

Round Lake: Enjoy the beach, fishing dock, trail around the lake, and flatwater for paddling at Round Lake State Park—located near Sagle, south of Sandpoint.  

Q’emiln Park: Located in Post Falls along the Spokane River, it’s not on a lake, but the park is spacious with a great swimming beach (day parking fee required). It only opens, however, after Avista closes the nearby downstream dam, which usually happens by mid-July. You can also hike or mountain bike on trails in the nearby Community Forest.

Amy McCaffree is special section editor and Out There Kids columnist. Her favorite summer recreation activities are stand-up paddling, kayaking, camping, and swimming with her husband and their two kids.

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It took me two tries to complete the 130-miles of the Columbia Plateau Trail (CPT), officially named the Columbia Plateau Trail State Park. The first time, we rode the former rail line turned trail about one-third of the way before bailing in the tiny town of Benge, Wash. Our first mistake: we picked the wrong direction and rode straight west into a 20-30 mph headwind. And then our second, bigger error was not having the right bikes for the job. Our 2” mountain bike tires weren’t up for the task of plowing through the thick, loose chunks of railroad ballast rock that litter the nearly 100-mile, middle section of the trail.

A few years later, we were back for a second try on fat bikes with 4-inch, ballast-rock busting tires headed in the right direction: uphill but with the wind at our backs from Pasco to Spokane. 

Day 1: Pasco to Kahlotus

The first 15 miles of our early-spring trip flew by with excellent crushed-gravel conditions along the Snake River. Once at the Snake River Junction, riders have two options for avoiding 4 gated trestles that require a detour. For fewer surprises ride the paved highway east to Windust Park on the river where you’ll find camping, water, and restrooms (if they are open). A more adventurous option, at least when we rode the route in 2016, is to leave the CPT and ride another abandoned railroad line closer to the river that involved some boulder dodging and Russian thistle wading. At Windust Park we filled our water bottles (you might also be able to get water at a nearby farm) and left the river, climbing up the CPT to our first camp near Devils Canyon and the town of Kahlotus.

Day 2: Kahlotus to Middle of Nowhere

Dramatic desert scenery gives way to a slow crawl over chunky ballast rock on a long, straight stretch of relatively uninteresting trail between Kahlotus (water stop) and Washtucna, which at the time had an inviting café and watering hole. Another closed trestle blocks riders just to the west of Washtucna (a farm access road and short hike-a-bike regain access to the trail on its north side). Then it’s onward through a long stretch of rough ballast rock riding. Beautiful basalt formations; massive sagebrush; and wildlife sightings including mule deer, rattlesnakes, and badger help keep your mind off of the challenging trail conditions. Another blocked trestle after an hour or two of riding warrants abandoning the CPT again. Use your maps to detour around the private land surrounding the closed trestle on roads. Trespassing is illegal and could jeopardize the future of the trail for others. 

Legal camping and access to drinking water east of Washtucna can be challenging. Plan on stocking up on provisions for this long stretch through the middle of nowhere. You should be able to find water at the church in Benge (and possible camping in town if you ask). You can also ask for water at the grain elevators in Lamont. Despite the fact that there are some nice camping spots next to the trail, camping along the CPT isn’t allowed. You can, however, find in-town camping options as well as legal camping on BLM land at Escure Ranch and Fishtrap Lake. The town of Sprague a few miles off the CPT also offers services as varied as a store, bar, café, and motel if you’re looking for the comforts of home.

Day 3: Middle of Nowhere to Spokane

For the last stretch of ballast rock riding, you may run into swamp-like conditions west of Lamont. To keep your shoes dry, leave the CPT and pedal the highway into Lamont where you can regain the trail at the grain elevators. Once you’ve reached Martin Road Trailhead, in addition to being treated to an outhouse, your ballast rock biking experience is over, and it’s smooth sailing on crushed gravel surface through Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge to Cheney. Continue on the paved section of the CPT to Fish Lake, where a few miles of road riding will connect you back off-highway on the paved Fish Lake Trail all the way into Spokane.

Planning Your CPT Ride

If you plan to ride the trail point to point, this article isn’t close to a sufficient guide to the trail. Do your own online research, procure maps, and be prepared for the unknown and some adventure. You will need to be self-sufficient and carry all the gear, food and water, first aid, and tools you might need.

For a more relaxed and less demanding experience, explore the Columbia Plateau Trail in more pleasant sections on day-rides from the developed trailheads or towns. For more info, visit the Washington State Parks Columbia Plateau Trail page.

[All photos by Derrick Knowles]

For more inspiring stories, visit the OTO archives for stories about the Columbia Plateau Trail and bikepacking.

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