Idaho panhandle Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Idaho panhandle
Red: The ten counties of the Idaho panhandle
Country	United States
State	Idaho
Largest city	Coeur d'Alene
Area
• Total	21,012.64 sq mi (54,422.5 km²)
Population (2010)	317,751

The Idaho Panhandle is a unique part of the U.S. state of Idaho. People often call it North Idaho or Northern Idaho. It's like a narrow "handle" at the top of the state. This area stretches north between the state of Washington and Montana. It also shares a border with British Columbia in Canada!

The Panhandle includes 10 counties: Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce, and Shoshone. This region, along with parts of eastern Washington, forms an area called the Inland Northwest.

Cities and Towns in the Panhandle
Border Crossings
History of the Panhandle
Fun Things to Do
Nature and Weather
Farming and Forests
Native American Lands
Major Communities
See also

Cities and Towns in the Panhandle

Coeur d'Alene is the biggest city in the Idaho Panhandle. It's a busy place with lots to see and do. Just about 30 miles (48 km) to the west is Spokane, Washington. Spokane's airport is the main one for people traveling to and from this region.

Other important cities here include Lewiston, Moscow, Post Falls, Hayden, and Sandpoint. Smaller towns like St. Maries and Bonners Ferry are also part of the Panhandle. East of Coeur d'Alene, you'll find the Silver Valley, known for its mining history.

The Idaho Panhandle covers about 21,013 square miles (54,423 km²). That's about a quarter of Idaho's total land! In 2010, about 317,751 people lived here.

Border Crossings

The town of Bonners Ferry has two places where you can cross the border into Canada. The Porthill-Rykerts Border Crossing connects to Creston, British Columbia. The Eastport–Kingsgate Border Crossing connects to Yahk, British Columbia.

History of the Panhandle

The eastern border of Idaho follows the Bitterroot Range of mountains. This is why the northern part of the state is so narrow, forming the "panhandle" shape. Traveling through this area used to be very difficult because of the mountains. However, major improvements to roads like U.S. Route 95 made it much easier to get around. These improvements happened between the 1960s and 1990s.

Fun Things to Do

The Idaho Panhandle offers many exciting places to visit and activities to enjoy:

Bird Aviation Museum and Invention Center
Clearwater River
Idaho Panhandle National Forest
Kootenai River
Lake Coeur d'Alene
Lake Pend Oreille
Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area
North Idaho College
Priest Lake
Schweitzer Mountain
Snake River
Silver Mountain
Silverwood Theme Park
University of Idaho

Nature and Weather

Most of the Idaho Panhandle uses Pacific Time. This is different from the rest of Idaho to the south, which uses Mountain Time. This time zone difference exists because cities like Coeur d'Alene are very connected to Spokane, Washington, which is in the Pacific Time Zone. Also, many towns near the border, like Moscow and Lewiston, are closely linked to cities in Washington.

Köppen climate types in northern Idaho

Farming and Forests

The North Idaho region is well-known for its forests and lumber. Many trees are grown here, and there are 12 lumber mills that produce wood. Farmers also grow grass seeds and hops, which are used to make beer. There are nine small breweries in the area, showing how important hops are. You can also find many cattle ranches here.

In the Palouse region, which is part of the Panhandle, important crops include wheat, lentils, peas, and canola.

Native American Lands

The Idaho Panhandle is home to several Indian reservations. These are lands set aside for Native American tribes.

Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation
Kootenai Indian Reservation
Nez Perce Indian Reservation

Major Communities

Here are some of the main communities in the Idaho Panhandle:

Idaho panhandle facts for kids

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