Saturday, September 6, 2014

Beauty Creek Campground, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

 

We’re spending a few nights in the forest at Beauty Creek Campground, just 11 miles from Coeur d’Alene. Chuck and Carla stayed here on their way to Washington and told us there were a few sites with good sun exposure, and Brian and Leigh arrived earlier in the week and said the same. No hookups, vault toilets, and drinking water, $10/night with the senior pass.

Here we are from the Caribou Ridge trail. Brian and Leigh’s Airstream, our Lazy Daze, and Debbie’s, basking in the sun. It drops behind the trees and mountains in the late afternoon.

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This is our first time visiting Coeur d’Alene and so far we like what we’ve seen. After a good workout on the trail with views of the lake,

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we all went downtown for dinner at Fire Artisan Pizza, which we would highly recommend.

We don’t normally take pictures of our food, but Jim doesn’t understand why they have to put so much arugula on top. Presentation is everything, I suppose.

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Yesterday we had to pick up some mail at the post office, then went for a 10 mile bike ride on the North Idaho Centennial Trail. The trail runs for 24 miles, about a third of it along the lake.

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We had lunch at Higgens Point, the east end of the trail.

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I-90 bridge, and the reason the trail ends here.

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Last night we enjoyed a community vegan meal and took a walk around the campground. It’s getting might cool here at night, mid 40’s. Looks like it may be time for us to begin moving south.

12 comments:

  1. Absolutely beautiful - so much deep blue and green! What a difference from being in the desert. :)

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  2. I so want you to do the Hiawatha Trail before you head south. September is often a wonderful time as the leaves turn. There is another trail worth checking out on bikes also...the Coeur d Alene trail. There are many places to start as it is a very long trail...60 miles (?) But I like the end of the lake south end of the lake where there is a trestle over the lake. Other parts have ponds and wildlife or mountains all on a paved rail to trails. One of my favorites.

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    1. Looks like we won't make it there this time. The biking we did yesterday caused Jim's leg to hurt so he doesn't want to chance it. Hiking doesn't seem to bother it as much.

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  3. Beautiful scenery. Thanks for stopping by my blog. What's it like traveling with cats? At least they must be used to it and not "singing the song of their people" as mine do when I take them in the car.
    Maggie - aka Leigh's Mom

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    1. Our cats don't particularly care for moving days, but at least they suffer in silence.
      Gayle

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  4. ah such memories. When I first moved to Idaho in 1972 I camped at Beauty Creek for 4 weeks before finding a house. Years later, I lived just up the hill from Beauty Bay on the Bunco, with that beautiful view mine every day. One of my best friends was married at that very gazebo at Higgens Point, but we all knew that area long before it was groomed and manicured with a lovely bike trail. When I first moved there, CDA had a population of 14,000, the CDA Resort wasn't there, and the only real restaurant around was the Denny's up on 4th Street. McDonalds wasn't even there yet. I just visited that same friend last month, and was amazed at how the place has changed. Your post reminded me of how much it stays the same.

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  5. We rode the Trail of the Hiawatha last September. I blogged about it if you want to see photos. Should you decide to do it, you will need lights on your bikes. The first tunnel, which we did not ride, is two miles long, very dark and wet. The other tunnels are shorter, but one of them curves enough that you can not see the end of it when you start. Dark!

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    1. We had read about the tunnels. Jim is claustrophobic so he isn't too keen on the idea. We are skipping the Hiawatha this year but we like this area and hope to be back and stay longer another time.

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  6. We are thinking about maybe stopping here for a few days as we come out of Canada at the end of Sept. We've only traveled through on a motorcycle ride. We said we would return one day to stay and visit. Thanks for the beautiful photos.

    I had to laugh at your night temps. We think it is warm if we only get into 40's...haha! We've been to a low of 35 so far. This week could be our all time lowest. Wed night is suppose to be 20!!!! And that is not Celcius!! With snow!!

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  7. Good sleeping temperatures in the 40's! That is a pretty area which we have only visited briefly, pre-RV.

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  8. Beautiful area. We're hoping to stop for a few days on our way to Spokane and this little campground looks perfect (although likely much busier earlier in the summer). Safe travels.

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