For travelers looking for adventurous destinations, Lake Coeur d’Alene in northern Idaho can provide a sense of ‘danger.’ Visitors can challenge themselves on a parasailing excursion or tee off at a movable golf green floating in the lake.
Located in the far northern reaches of Idaho, Lake Coeur d’Alene is a 25-mile long body of water. Several small lakes became one large lake when builders completed the Post Falls Dam to control flooding in the area. Now Lake Coeur d’Alene is one continuous reservoir with a 109-mile long shoreline.
Visitors know the lake for its many outdoor sports offerings. Boating, paddleboarding, and kayaking are some of the most popular water sports, along with fishing. Anglers can reel in everything from kokanee salmon to pike, bluegill, and trout.
Because the Coeur d’Alene River was the location of many mining camps, the lake it feeds is not a safe place to swim. The tailings from these locations have high lead levels, cadmium, arsenic, and zinc and have washed into the lake.