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North
Idaho and Sandpoint Area Waterfalls
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Things to Do & Places to See
Albeni
Falls
fed by the
Pend Oreille River in Bonner County, ID
The Albeni
Falls Dam is located on the Pend Oreille River
between Oldtown, Idaho and Priest River, Idaho. It is located on the site of
a natural waterfall named Albeni Falls, named after early pioneer Albeni
Poirier. The dam is 90 feet high and 775 feet long, with a 400 foot long
spillway.
Construction on the dam began in 1951 and was completed in 1955 at a cost of
$34 million ($261 million in 2007 dollars). It produces over 200 million
kilowatt hours of electricity each year for the Bonneville Power
Administration.
Right down the road off Highway 2 is the Riley Creek Recreation Area. Lots
of boating, camping, and water fun to had in this area.
Cabinet Gorge Dam
is fed by the Clark Fork River in Bonner County, ID
Cabinet Gorge
Dam
is a concrete arch-type hydroelectric dam on the Clark Fork river, east of
Sandpoint and Hope, Idaho off Highway 200 on the way to Montana, not far
from the Idaho-Montana state line. As the name implies, it is in a fairly
deep gorge, with fantastic views, and the trek down to the bottom of the
gorge is quite the journey.
Cabinet Gorge Reservoir extends into Montana, nearly to
Noxon Rapids Dam.
The
sheer-walled canyon of the Clark Fork River created a challenging site for
the Cabinet Gorge Dam project. When there, be sure to check out the Cabinet
Gorge Fish Hatchery.
Caribou
Falls
is fed by
Caribou Creek in Boundary County, ID
Caribou Falls is a very remote waterfall within the Idaho Panhandle National
Forest. Situated in Boundary County, topographic maps illustrate no roads or
trails leading to the falls.
Char Falls
is
fed by Lightning Creek in Bonner County, ID
Char Falls is in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest’s Sandpoint Ranger
District, and is the result of Lightning Creek crushing 50 to 75 foot
descent down a bedrock surface. Though the hike is arduous, the scenery is
breathtaking and provides those able to see with a memorable experience of
water falling framed by old coniferous forest and trees. Park, hike 0.5 mile
along the gravel road until it ends at a broad trail. Go another 20 years,
and don’t miss the small path to the right. Take this path for about 100
yards to the fall’s pinnacle. Take care, the overlook is not fenced.
To get there turn east off US Highway 2/US95 onto Scenic Route 200 and drive
12.2 miles to Trestle Creek Road #275; turn east (left) and continue for 13
miles until you reach Lightning Creek Road #419;turn south (right), drive
0.6 mile to the unpaved road on the left where parking is available.
Copper
Creek Falls
is fed by
Copper Creek in Boundary County, ID
At an
elevation of 3,400 feet the falls drop over 150 feet from a cliff to pool
below. Road #2517 is the most direct route to the
falls; sightseers can choose to turn off US Highway 95 onto Road #2517 14
miles northeast of the Scenic Road 1 junction, or 0.7 mile south of the
Eastport border crossing; travel 2 miles on this rough gravel road until you
reach Copper Falls Trail #20. The trail head is about a mile up the
road. There is a 15-minute short, easy walk to Copper Creek Falls.
Elk Creek
Falls
and Middle
Elk Creek Falls is fed by Elk Creek in Clearwater, ID
Among the most
scenic falls in the northwest, The Elk Creek Falls Recreation Area is
strikingly beautiful and one of kind. In a deep gorge, the falls cascades
several times forming natural pools. Surrounded by lush pine forests, the
panoramic views are inspiring. The Elk River Falls is a series of waterfalls
that plunge almost 300 feet into the forest canyon; it is the highest water
fall in northern Idaho.. Elk Creek and nearby Elk Creek Reservoir are
favorite spots for catching rainbow and brook trout.
Located about
3 miles south of the town of Elk River, the Elk Creek area has been set
aside for semi-primitive, non-motorized recreation activities. The trails
have been recently improved, and offer several overlooks which not only give
the viewer a good look at the falls themselves, but of the surrounding
scenery, too.
Granite
Falls
and Lasota Falls in Bonner County, ID
Granite Falls
is in the one of our North Idaho treasured areas – the Roosevelt Grove of
Ancient Cedars: home to a 2,000-year-old cedar forest. Skirting the border
of Washington and Idaho, Granite Falls sends its cascade of water down a
flat chute, colliding at the bottom, turning, then rolling over boulders,
felled trees, ending up in a rock hollow. Sheer cliffs are on three sides.
Ferns and 150 foot tall trees complete the bucolic picture.
There are many
hiking trails between ½ and one mile long that offer different views of both
the Upper and Lower Granite Falls. To visit from Priest River, drive north
on Highway 57 to Priest Lake and follow the signs to Nordman. The falls are
13 miles north of Nordman on Forest Road 302.
Continue walking upstream to locate LaSota Falls.
Grouse Creek
Falls
is fed by Grouse Creek in Bonner County, ID
The falls have
a total drop of less than twenty feet in a series of steps, first five feet
into a small pool, then another small plash. Within a sheer gorge, the pools
are a 30 minute drive NE from Sandpoint on Highway 95
toward Bonners Ferry about 8 miles, right on Colburn-Culver east about 5.5
miles; then to Grouse Creek Road, which turns into Forest Service Road 280,
and about 6 more miles. Look for the sign to the trail to Grouse Creek Falls
on the right. At noon, the
sun will shine straight down into the gorge, but later in the day, the cool
of the shadows will make the swim in the pool downright chilly.
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