International Selkirk Loop – ID

Crawford State Park feels like it's at the end of the earth, and its star attraction, Gardner Cave, feels like the center of the earth. Tucked away in the northeast corner of Washington, near the U.S.-Canada and Washington-Idaho borders, Crawford State Park is an unassuming day-use park – on the surface. But a tour of Gardner Cave reveals an underworld of deep geologic mystery. Gardner Cave is a 500 million-year-old cavern.

Built at its present location in 1912, the renovated Tiger Museum/Store serves as the south gateway for the North Pend Orielle Scenic Byway.

The Little Pend Oreille NWR was established in 1939 as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife.

Priest Lake State Park lies just 30 miles from the Canadian border, nestled deep below the crest of the Selkirk Mountains. Surrounded by the natural beauty of Northern Idaho and mile-high mountains, Priest Lake State Park sits along the eastern shores of Priest Lake, a 19-mile long, 300-foot-deep waterbody.

Interpretive center for the International Selkirk Loop.

Laid-back lakefront park featuring a sandy beach & placid waters in a charming, picturesque setting.

Kootenai NWR provides numerous recreation opportunities to thousands of visitors every year. People enjoy viewing the unique geology and diverse wildlife, whether driving or hiking. Regulation of recreation activities allow for public enjoyment of the refuge while still protecting the wildlife and habitats.

The Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area supports an amazing amount of biodiversity. There are over 300 bird, close to 60 mammal, 17 fish, 6 reptile and 6 amphibian species that have been recorded in the area. Plus, there are thousands of invertebrate and plant species.

Crawford Bay, home to a diverse group of Artisans, (craftspeople) is a small community on Kootenay Lake in southeast British Columbia. Our unique, even quirky studios (look for log, strawbale and an ex-bootleggers building) are within easy walking distance from each other.

Mountainous natural park with a sandy beach & easy walks, famed for salmon spawning in late summer.

The Vista House is perched on cliffs above the east side of the Pend Oreille River, overlooking Boundary Dam. Exhibits cover such subjects as the hydroelectric project, indigenous wildlife and the border patrol. A trail loops down to an overlook, cantilevered over the edge of the canyon high above the dam; the view is spectacular.

Eagle viewing site.

The two mile long bridge spanning the mouth of the Pend Oreille River leads to Sandpoint on the north end. Today’s bridge, as the 3 previous ones, offers panoramic views of the river, lake and mountains and is a key access point for people living south of the town.

Scenic overlook.

The Kootenay Lake ferry runs across Kootenay Lake, 35 kilometres east of Nelson on Highway 3A, between Balfour (west side) and Kootenay Bay (east side), 70 kilometres from Creston on Highway 3A.

Starting early in Sandpoint, drive northeast on the International Selkirk Byway until you reach Kootenai. Stop to gather food for the trip before following the historical marker for Hope Peninsula. Continue to head east for bird watching in the Denton Slough Waterfowl Area. Upon arriving to Clark Fork, set up for a day of trout fishing on the Middle Fork Clark Fork. On your way home, stop at Kellyspell House and Sam Owen State Park, both attractions in Kootenai, before continuing on the loop or returning to Sandpoint.