Lake
My family came out to the north Idaho area the last week in June this year, and we all headed over to Lake Coeur d’Alene for some rest, relaxation, and exercise. I knew the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes (a paved, 72-mile long bike path) ran through the town of Harrison (population 267) at the southern end of the lake, so I suggested a cabin rental there.
There were quite a few pricey rentals in the area (running in the neighborhood of $2,000 a week), but we found a small cabin (many decades old) right on the waterfront with the trail running between the yard and the dock. It was only $600 a week, so it was a great deal, and unlike many cabins in the area, the yard allowed you to walk right down to the trail and the lake without navigating a series of steep stairs (a lot of the houses on the lake are built into the cliffs and high hills of the area). Our cabin was about 5 miles south of Harrison, which you can easily bike into on the trail (there are roads for you automobile types too).
This was a very quiet area. We saw many deer while we were out here (some right along the dirt drive that leads to the cabin) as well as a raccoon and a wild turkey. (We might have seen more wildlife, but we had the dogs along–it is a dog friendly rental, and they even have a lead and stake in the backyard, if you want to put your pups outside without worrying about them running away.) There were many birds making their homes on and around the lake (not far from the cabin, a family of ospreys has a nest on a piling). While walking one day, we spotted turtles basking on a sun-drenched log in a wetlands area. So, this was a wonderful place to enjoy wildlife. It was extremely quiet too. As I mentioned, Harrison is a small town, and many of the cabins along the lake are people’s second homes, so they were unoccupied. The bicycle trail did see use everyday, but during the week (especially in the evenings), you could be out for an hour and only pass a couple other people.
Our cabin itself was certainly on the rustic side (don’t expect a DVD player, stereo, wireless internet, or even a phone) with older appliances (though there was a new microwave) and a creative bathroom arrangement. The toilet and sink were in one little spot off the kitchen and the shower was in its own closet type enclosure (also off the kitchen). As long as you’re with family, it’s not a big deal, but you might not want to be showering while people you don’t know very well are making breakfast outside the curtain.
The cabin had a family room, a kitchen, and a porch that has been closed in. The family room sported a twin bed and a couch, while the porch/bedroom had a double, a twin, and another couch. All-in-all you can sleep 5 or 6. The cabin is a pretty tight fit for that many though. But as long as the weather is nice, you’ll be wanting to spend a lot of the time outside.
The enclosed porch was actually a neat place to sleep. It’s raised, as the lot slopes down toward the water, and there are big windows all across the front and one of the sides, so when you look out from the bed, it’s almost as if you’re sleeping in a treehouse, because you’re looking at the branches.
The town of Harrison itself is pretty small. It’s one of those places that was booming back in the logging-of-Lake-Coeur-d’Alene heyday with a half dozen saloons and lots of bawdy forms of entertainment. Now there are a couple hundred residents, a tiny store (slightly larger selection than a 7-11), a bicycle rental shop, a park with benches, an RV park on the water, and a marina where you can rent kayaks and motorboats. There is a restaurant and a couple other shops, but this definitely isn’t the place to stay if city nightlife are must-haves for you.
The big draw is the lake and the trail. You can bicycle, skate, walk or jog (no motor vehicles), and do any sort of water recreation you can think of. We really enjoyed being able to skate and bicycle right out of our yard. If you don’t have your own bicycles, you can rent them from the Pedal Pushers shop in town (my mother and I tried the three-wheeled recumbent “trikes.” The seats were super comfortable, and if I knew where I’d store it back home, I’d buy one.
The only thing missing from our cabin was a grill for outdoor BBQs. If you rent this place, you may want to bring a portable grill along for your hot dogs and hamburgers (of course, there is a fire pit area down by the water in case you want to do it the old fashioned way).
All-in-all, I recommend the location and the cabin for a peaceful vacation with plenty of outdoors things to do.