This Lakefront Idaho Town Is Made for Strolling

Coeur d'Alene seamlessly blends its spritely commercial core with urban hiking trails and a well-utilized waterfront, making for a highly walkable layout. In fact, the shops of Sherman Avenue are separated from the world's longest floating boardwalk and the festivities of McEuen Park by mere blocks. At the same time, a leisurely stroll can be significantly expanded by forging up Tubbs Hills, by weaving onto a secondary downtown, or by following the cartoonish moose statues marking the two-mile, family-friendly, Mudgy Moose Trail. Whoever you're with, and whatever you're fancy, this lakefront Idaho town is made for strolling.

Downtown

Whether you've arrived at the base of Idaho's Panhandle by dropping down from Canada, driving west from Montana, or east out of Washington, you will naturally be funneled onto Coeur d'Alene's main street: Sherman Avenue. It is here that we will begin our urban walkabout.

For a solid seven blocks, Sherman Avenue is lined with wide sidewalks, full trees, fluffy flowers, artsy accents, and a consistent streak of restaurants, cafes, and predominantly indie businesses. So take your time, enjoy the vibes, and scout out a post-stroll dinner spot.

When satisfied with this stretch, you can wade one block north to Lakeside Avenue, where you'll find additional indulgences and less foot traffic. I recommend popping into Coeur d'Alene Coffee, especially if it's a cooler morning, as you can cozy up next to their communal fireplace. You might also dip down to Front Avenue, which provides access to our next two walkable subsections of the city.

McEuen Park & Tubbs Hill

Should you enter McEuen Park at the corner of Front Ave and 7th Street, you'll encounter the Coeur d'Alene Public Library (and one of the Mudgy Moose statues, but more on that later). I know what you're thinking, "How does a library fit in with an exploratory stroll?" Well, this library knows how to interact with its community and its natural surroundings. When I walked by, a small crowd was gathered on its park-facing side and atop its second-story balcony, enjoying the live music pumping out the open doors from the stage area within.

This part of the park will also introduce you to the North Idaho Centennial Trail. At first, this paved path might not look like anything out of the ordinary, but it actually spans 23 miles — six miles east of the city, and all the way west, via the Spokane River, to the Washington state line. So whatever your desired step count, this pedestrian path can easily oblige. For now, let's just use it to reach the west entrance of the park (via 4th Street if you're coming from downtown), where the impressive K27 Memorial honors local hero, Sgt. Moore, with an expansive walkway leading to three waterfalls.

Those in the mood for a full-blown hike can make for the forested mound, known as Tubbs Hill, on the south side of McEuen Park. Once you sniff out your trailhead of choice, you can either do a lap of the peninsula's perimeter, soaking in the little beaches and lakeside vistas as you go, or cut straight up to its summit (which is more of a grunt than it initially looks, but quite worth the extra effort). Either way, even though you're still a stone's throw from the city, you'll feel like you've been instantly transported into the wilderness of the surrounding Bitterroot Mountains.

The Floating Boardwalk

Having teased Coeur d'Alene as a lakefront town, it is now time to uncover its top natural and commercial assets. Here, at the top of Lake Coeur d'Alene, you'll find the prominent Coeur d'Alene Resort, a bustling marina, waterfront restaurants, and the longest floating boardwalk on the planet.

This 3,300-foot point-to-point walkway begins (or ends) just west of Tubbs Hills/McEuen Park and leaves off at the Boardwalk Bar — a small hut next to the small public beach and the launch point for Lake Coeur d'Alene Cruises (in case you're looking for an additional adventure).

Along the way, the Floating Boardwalk passes the Marina Cantina (in case you're in the mood for a Corona), hundreds of docked boats, and even includes a raised bridge (so that boats can pass under). This offshore lap also provides uninterrupted views of the lake, and a fresh perspective on Tubbs Hill (look for the splashes from the local cliff jumpers).

Mudgy Moose Trail

A punctuated and family-friendly alternative to my proposed walking route is the two-and-a-quarter-mile scavenger hunt known as the Mudgy Moose Trail. Marked by five strategically-spaced moose statues, this interpretive route hits the main areas of downtown Coeur d'Alene. If you and the kiddos (or, in my case, my giddy girlfriend) are successful in locating all Mudgy & Millie markers, then you will organically cover three of the aforementioned highlights, as well as two additional pedestrian-friendly environments.

Taken in order, the Mudgy Moose Trail visits Tubbs Hills & the marina boardwalk (#1), the library/McEuen Park (#2), Sherman Avenue (#3), City Park (#4), and Independence Point (#5). The last two locales await west of the marina, via a small loop of the North Idaho Centennial Trail. When all is said and done, you can even go for a little swim at the Public Beach between Independence Point and the Boardwalk.

The Case for Coeur d'Alene

This lakefront Idaho town utilizes pedestrian paths, wooded trails, a massive floating boardwalk, and even bronze moose statues to lead visitors through its natural and commercial attractions. Coeur d'Alene has an alpine waterfront, well-kept parks, and a dense collection of eye-catching establishments to peruse. Not a bad trifecta for an urban stroll.