Priest Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Priest Lake |
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 Priest Lake
Location in Idaho
Priest Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bonner County, Idaho, United States |
| Coordinates | 48°34′N 116°52′W / 48.567°N 116.867°W |
| Primary inflows |
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| Primary outflows | Priest River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 19 mi (31 km) |
| Max. width | 4.4 mi (7.1 km) |
| Surface area | 26,000 acres (11,000 ha) |
| Max. depth | 369 ft (112 m) |
| Surface elevation | 2,439 ft (743 m) |
| Islands | 7 |
Priest Lake is a beautiful lake located in the northern part of Idaho, United States. It's about 80 miles northeast of Spokane, Washington, and its northern end is only about 15 miles from the border with Canada.
Priest Lake is actually made up of two main parts: Lower Priest Lake and Upper Priest Lake. Lower Priest Lake is the main body of water, stretching about 19 miles long and reaching depths of over 300 feet! Upper Priest Lake is connected to Lower Priest Lake by a narrow waterway called a "thoroughfare," which is about 2.5 miles long.
Contents
Discovering Priest Lake's Past
How Old is Priest Lake?
The story of Priest Lake goes back nearly 10,000 years! This was right after the last great ice age ended. Huge glaciers once covered most of this area. As these glaciers melted and moved away, plants started to grow back. Soon after, people began to settle in the area.
We know humans lived here long ago because of old tools and items found around the lake. There's even ancient rock art along the lake's shores, showing us what life might have been like thousands of years ago.
Who Named Priest Lake?
The first European settlers arrived in the early 1800s. Many of these early visitors were fur trappers. They traded with the local Kalispel Tribe, who were the native people of this land.
Later, in the 1840s, Jesuit Priests came to the lake. They set up a base camp at Kalispell Bay. One of these priests, Father Pierre-Jean De Smet, was from Belgium. He was very trusted by the Native American tribes in the West. Father DeSmet first named the lake "Roothaan Lake" after one of his leaders in Rome.
However, that name didn't last. In 1865, a U.S. Army Captain named John Mullan was exploring the area. He was building a trail called the "Mullan Trail" to connect different parts of the country. Captain Mullan renamed the lake "Kaniksu." This word is thought to be the native word for "black robe," probably because of the Jesuit priests who wore black robes. Because of these priests, the lake was eventually named Priest Lake.
Forests and Lumber: The Story of Logging
Logging's Role in Priest Lake's History
Since the 1890s, logging has been a very important activity around Priest Lake. Huge logs were floated down the lake. From there, they traveled down the Priest River until they reached sawmills located on the Pend Oreille River. These mills would cut the logs into lumber.
Protecting the Forests
People started to worry about protecting natural areas in the late 1800s. Because of this, the Forest Reserve Act of 1891 was passed. This law helped create protected forest areas. In 1897, the Priest River Forest Reserve was set up around Priest Lake.
This reserve later became the Kaniksu National Forest. Today, it's part of the larger Idaho Panhandle National Forests system. Much of the land on the east side of Priest Lake became state-owned land after Idaho became a state in 1890. In 1950, these state lands were named Priest Lake State Forest. Later, in the 1980s, more land was added to the state forest, making it even larger.
Amazing Animals of Priest Lake
Priest Lake is home to many different kinds of animals, both in the water and on land. You can see common animals like bears, deer, and moose, just like in other parts of northern Washington and Idaho. There's even a small group of grizzly bears living here!
Fish in Priest Lake
The lake is also full of fish. Some of the fish you might find include Cutthroat trout, Kokanee (a type of salmon), Lake trout, and Dolly Varden trout.
Did you know that the biggest lake trout ever caught in the United States was caught right here in Priest Lake? It happened in 1971, caught by a man named Lyle McClure from Spokane, Washington. That huge fish weighed an amazing 57 pounds and 8 ounces! Most lake trout caught here are usually between 4 and 10 pounds.
Protecting the Lake's Ecosystem
In 2006, a plant called Eurasian milfoil was found in Priest Lake. This plant is an invasive species, which means it's not native to the area and can harm the lake's natural environment. Efforts are made to control its spread to protect the lake's ecosystem.
Fun Things to Do at Priest Lake
Popular Activities and Places to Stay
Today, many people visit Priest Lake for fun and relaxation. There are several large private resorts around the lake, like Elkins Resort and Hill's Resort. If you like camping, there are popular campgrounds run by the State of Idaho, such as Indian Creek and Lionhead. The Idaho Panhandle National Forest also runs campgrounds like Beaver Creek, Reeder Bay, Osprey, Outlet Bay, and Luby Bay.
You can find many hiking trails around the lake, and some even connect to Upper Priest Lake. In the winter, the larger resorts offer activities like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. There's also a Bed and Breakfast called the historic Old Northern Inn, the Coolin Motel, and Nordman Resort. The lake has three marinas, with one in the largest town, Coolin.
Local Gems and Treats
The Priest Lake Public Library is open all year. It's located at the corner of Luby Bay Road and Highway 57, in the old Lamb Creek School building. The library has free wireless internet and a great collection of local history. The area is also famous for its delicious huckleberries, and visitors are encouraged to go hiking and pick them!
Priest Lake's Climate
Weather for All Seasons
Priest Lake has four distinct seasons, which makes it great for both summer and winter activities. Summers are usually warm and sunny, with temperatures often around 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius). This is perfect for swimming and boating, which are very popular in the summer.
Winters are cold and snowy. While it's not as cold as areas east of the Rocky Mountains, Priest Lake gets a lot of snow. About 60 inches (1.5 meters) of precipitation falls in the mountains around the lake each year, and almost half of that comes as snow. This makes cross-country skiing and snowmobiling popular winter sports.
Images for kids
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Priestlaker.com
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Priestlaker.com
Gallery
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A sunset in Autumn
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Buck in winter
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Elkins Resort on Priest Lake
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On the beach
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Unripe huckleberries
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Autumn - Photo P. Cox
- Priest Lake's website - [1]
