Family Friendly Fun

From peaks to playgrounds, adventures and smiles await

In the mountains, on the lake, around town … there’s no shortage of kid-approved activities in Sandpoint

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Fun on the mountain

In winter, it’s skiing, snowboarding and tubing. Come summer, make it a zip line, climbing wall or mountain bike adventure. Schweitzer has no shortage of activities for the younger set.

EXPLORE

Silverwood Theme Park

A half hour south, Silverwood is the biggest theme park in the Northwest…. and a kid’s dream come true. With thrilling rides, enchanting attractions and Boulder Beach water park, it’s a world of joy and excitement for young adventurers.

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Discover the cowboy way

At Western Pleasure Guest Ranch, kids will find a galloping good time on horseback. From gentle rides to cowboy adventures, it’s an unforgettable journey into the enchanting world of Western fun.

Cambium Spa at Schweitzer

Rev up, reboot, tune In. Cambium Spa at Schweitzer offers unique recovery services and spa treatments in a vibrant, communal atmosphere in the resort’s wonderful alpine setting.

Whether it’s for an immersive wellness experience, an express treatment, or a day of relaxation, Cambium is designed to meet the needs of every guest or resident in the community. The name “cambium” comes from the botanical term for a layer within the root and stem of some plants that encourages new growth. By design, Cambium Spa offers unique services and wellness treatments that encourage restoration, nourishment and growth.

Experience our signature treatments in a relaxed setting that harnesses the beautiful surroundings. Our menu of wellness services is focused on helping you Rev Up, Reboot and Tune In to mind, body, and spirit. Featuring organic amenities, therapeutic massage, bodywork, and infrared therapies, Cambium leverages state-of-the-art techniques and world-class therapists to create a holistic approach to maximizing your time at Schweitzer.

Whether it’s for an immersive experience, an express treatment, or a full day of relaxation, the staff at Cambium are there to support you wherever you may be on your wellness journey.

Go to the Cambium website»

Pine Street Woods

Pine Street Woods is a unique place where people of all ages and abilities have the opportunity to be outside. The wide trails welcome strollers, wheelchairs, or friends walking side by side, and nordic skiers in the winter. Almost a dozen trails make for miles of hiking and biking or cross-country skiing and fat-biking in the winter.

Trails are for non-motorized use. Electric bikes are welcome. Horses are not encouraged at Pine Street Woods because of the numerous off leash dogs and mountain bikes that frequent the property. Also, our access road and parking lot do not accommodate horse trailers.

There are no usage or parking fees. Pine Street Woods is open to all and is supported through generous trail donations and gifts from users just like you.

Pine Street Woods sits adjacent to two other public access properties. Collectively, the three properties comprise the Syringa Trail System. As is the case for Pine Street Woods, the Sherwood Forest and VTT properties are also privately owned, but are not owned or managed by KLT. The owners graciously allow the public to enjoy these special places, only requesting that everyone respect the land, wildlife, and other visitors.

Pine Street Woods Trails »

Printable Trail Map »

Western Pleasure Guest Ranch

During the summer months, guest ranch vacation packages include lodging in one of our lodge rooms or log cabins, daily horseback rides, three country gourmet meals daily, evening entertainment and access to all guest ranch amenities. During the fall, winter and spring, enjoy a Bed and Breakfast stay in a lodge room or rent a cabin for a cozy get away.  Two hour guided horseback rides are available in the Fall and Spring.  When the snow flies, enjoy an old fashioned sleigh ride.  Group retreatsfamily reunions, dinner parties and holiday gatherings are also available. We specialize in personalizing your dude ranch stay to fit you. Relaxing or riveting… it’s all up to you.

Schweitzer

Looking for a fun and adventurous way to take in the fresh mountain air and beautiful views? Whether you’re a hiker or biker, Schweitzer Mountain Resort offers more than 20 miles of trails with amazing alpine scenery and see-forever views. Start in the village and warm your legs up as you head out to Picnic Point – with only minor climbing – to take in the sweeping views of the mountains and Lake Pend Oreille. From there, your options are wide open. For those looking for a pure downhill biking thrills, Schweitzer has many intermediate to expert options with a chairlift assist to the top; all downhill trails begin at the top of the Great Escape Quad and descend 1700 feet to the Schweitzer Village. Pick up detailed trail maps in the village.

Mickinnick Trail

One of the closest and nicest hikes adjacent to Sandpoint, the Mickinnick is a challenging trail that rises more than 2,000 feet in its 3.5-mile length (meaning, a round-trip hike is 7 miles). But the workout is certainly worth it, affording  splendid views as you climb up through big granite features amid open forests and spring-summer wildflowers. On warm summer days, the east-facing aspect of the trail makes it more user-friendly in the afternoon. The trail ends on a rocky knob commanding a view of Sandpoint, the Long Bridge, the Cabinet Mountains and Lake Pend Oreille. Use the Google map to navigate to the trailhead parking, at roughly 400 Woodland Drive, or click to the Forest Service map and elevation profile.

This challenging trail rises more than 2,000 feet in its length (the hike is 7 miles round trip) – that’s a workout, especially on a warm summer day. The east-facing aspect of the trail makes it more user-friendly in the afternoon. The trail leads through open forest on a rocky hillside, and ends on a rocky knob commanding a view of Sandpoint, the Long Bridge, the Cabinet Mountains and Lake Pend Oreille.

Trail particulars: To get to the trailhead from Sandpoint, take Highway 95 north 1.3 miles to Schweitzer Cutoff Road; turn left and go a half mile; turn right and go less than a mile to turn left on Schweitzer Mountain Road (at Schweitzer Sign); go one-half mile to Woodland Drive; turn left and go 0.7 miles. The trailhead parking, with pit toilet, water and map, is on the right.

Mineral Point Interpretive Trail

Here’s an easy ride or walk that provides a starting and ending spot in Garfield Bay along Lake Pend Oreille, with a swimming beach, marina and dining opportunities at the Captain’s Table, or a stop during the ride at the fine, undeveloped Green Bay cobblestone beach. This route as suggested below is about 9 miles, mostly on back roads but including about 2.1 miles of single track on Mineral Point trail itself — challenging but rideable by beginners, with outstanding views of Lake Pend Oreille and the Green Monarchs. The trail is popular with hikers so ride carefully.

Mineral Point Interpretive Trail contours along Lake Pend Oreille about 14 miles south of Sandpoint near Garfield Bay, with magnificent views across the lake to the Green Monarchs. This lower-elevation, 2.1-mile hike or single-track bike ride is accessible starting from mid- to late spring. Get map and details for Forest Service Mineral Point Trail No. 82.

Trail description: From Sandpoint, drive six miles south on Highway 95 to Sagle, and turn east onto Sagle Road. Continue a bit more than six miles to the junction where Garfield Bay Road forks to the right and continue another roughly two miles to the waterfront village of Garfield Bay. There’s a small park in Garfield Bay; to make this ride longer, we suggest parking there in Garfield Bay and starting your ride on the backroads there. From Garfield Bay Road, find Green Bay Cutoff Road, which proceeds north. The cutoff will quickly become a gravel road; go about .4 mile and turn right onto the Mineral Point Road No. 532 (next to the red firehouse) and ride 2.2 miles on Road 532, and turn right for 0.3 miles the Mineral Point trailhead. The trail will then take you on 2.1 miles of singletrack high along the lakeshore, dropping down to the Green Bay campground and beach, a great place to stop for a swim or to hang along the lake. To complete the loop, ride back up the steep access road from the campground back to Mineral Point Road, then back to Garfield Bay.

Trail particulars: There is only about 400 feet of elevation gain and loss but you’ll ride it up and down several times. Water is available at Green Bay. At the trailhead for Mineral Point Trail there is a connector trail to a 2.1-mile singletrack loop on Lost Lake Trail 81 that makes for a good and easy side trip to incorporate into this ride.

Trail map: Click to see the map.

Gold Hill Trail

The Gold Hill Trail is one of the most popular for local hikers and mountain bikers, a 3.7-mile track that can be moderate or strenuous – depending on whether you hike or ride it up or down, or as most do, both ways.

If you are ready to enjoy all the adventure and scenic outdoor recreation that the Sandpoint, Idaho area offers, this is one trail that you don’t want to miss for a terrific hike or bike ride.

The trail leads uphill through a forested setting to panoramic northwest-facing views of Sandpoint across Lake Pend Oreille with the Selkirk Mountains behind.

Most start at the trailhead on Bottle Bay Road, about 8 miles south of Sandpoint; navigate to the trailhead parking by the Google map. It is possible to circle around by forest roads and access the trail up near the viewpoints.

Many mountain bikers do this as an out-and-back, starting at the trailhead for the uphill singletrack. However, some ride an extended route at the top of Trail 3, to include Gold Mountain and forest roads. Or, to make a full day that includes miles on paved and gravel backroads you can include the trail as part of an approximately 28-mile loop right from Sandpoint itself riding to the trailhead via the Long Bridge bike and pedestrian route.

This is mountain hiking and biking at its best in the Pacific Northwest!

Click for USFS trail map and details: Forest Service Gold Hill Trail No. 3.
Click for extended route details: MTB Project Gold Hill Trail No. 3.

Silverwood Theme Park

Silverwood is the Northwest’s largest theme park, featuring over 200 acres and more than 70 rides, slides, shows and attractions. Dominating the skies at Silverwood is Aftershock – the 191-foot-tall steel roller coaster which takes you forwards through cobra rolls and inverted loops at speeds up to 65 mph and 4.5 Gs! Silverwood is also home to two massive wooden coasters: Tremors, a 65-mph coaster that plunges underground four times; and the 55-mph Timber Terror. Other rides include the classic Corkscrew coaster and a 140-foot drop tower; or, for something a little milder, don’t miss the 1915 steam engine train that circles the entire park, or try the Bumper Boats, Log Flume, or Thunder Canyon raft ride. Speaking of wet fun: On a hot summer day, there’s no better place to be than the 21-acre Boulder Beach Water Park right next door. Climb aboard one of our two raft slides with friends or family and glide down Avalanche Mountain, ride the waves in two huge wave pools, splash in geysers and fountains in Toddler Springs, cruise down water slides of all shapes and sizes, and kick back in your own shaded area on Cabana Island. Best of all, Boulder Beach is included with the park admission price.

Come October, Silverwood Theme Park transforms into Scarywood Haunted Nights, with five signature bone-chilling attractions as well as more scare zones scattered throughout the park.

Go Fish! Charters

Go Fish! Charters offers hands-on, multi-species fishing on Lake Pend Oreille and Clark Fork River. Experience the excitement and diversity on the Pend Oreille fishery! Go Fish! operates year-round and offers custom charters, including sunrise and sunset trips. Charters depart from Sandpoint and Hope.

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Lake Pend Oreille Cruises

With multiple choices for launching, the 111 miles of Lake Pend Oreille coastline provides routes that will allow you to experience the wilderness, from its mountain heights to its watery depths, from its quiet coves to its broad expanses. Though technically not the lake, the water west of the Long Bridge to Dover Bay allows boaters to explore downriver.

Sandpoint Shopping District

The Sandpoint Shopping District exists to support & promote, through cooperative marketing efforts, a unique shopping experience which reflects the individual visions and passions of proud local owner-merchants. The district works cooperatively to provide locals and visitors alike with a unique & vibrant shopping environment in downtown Sandpoint.

Bottle Bay Resort

Bottle Bay Resort and Marina includes Bottle Bay Bar & Grill, cabin rentals with private beach area, marina with public gas, boat launch and boat rentals, all located on beautiful and peaceful Bottle Bay.

Schweitzer biking and hiking

Looking for a fun and adventurous way to take in the fresh mountain air and beautiful views? Whether you’re a hiker or biker, Schweitzer Mountain Resort offers more than 20 miles of trails with amazing alpine scenery and see-forever views. Start in the village and warm your legs up as you head out to Picnic Point – with only minor climbing – to take in the sweeping views of the mountains and Lake Pend Oreille. From there, your options are wide open. For those looking for a pure downhill biking thrills, Schweitzer has many intermediate to expert options with a chairlift assist to the top; all downhill trails begin at the top of the Great Escape Quad and descend 1700 feet to the Schweitzer Village. Pick up detailed trail maps in the village.

Panida Theater

Sandpoint’s historic performing arts center, the Panida Theater has served visitors and locals with films, concerts, plays, dance and events since 1927. There are always events happening in the beautiful and historic theater. Click to the website to see what’s playing!

https://www.facebook.com/panidatheater/

Round Lake State Park

This intimate park, 10 miles south of Sandpoint on Highway 95 and two miles west on Dufort Road, offers seven miles of marked and groomed cross-country trails. Depending on conditions, there may also be opportunities for ice skating, sledding, fishing or a picnic, often served up with a roaring bonfire. $2 per vehicle fee; annual Idaho State Park passes are available for $15. For a map or more information, call 208-263-3489; or click ParksandRecreation.Idaho.gov.

Farragut State park

With more than 9 miles of groomed trails, Farragut offers easy terrain and great views of the lake. Located on the southern tip of Lake Pend Oreille, about 40 minutes driving time from Sandpoint via U.S. Highway 95, Farragut is a crown jewel of Idaho’s state parks.

Bonner County Historical Museum

The Bonner County Historical Museum, 611 Ella at Lakeview Park, has numerous displays including Native American artifacts, an extensive collection of Ross Hall photos, a pioneer kitchen and more. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the first Saturday of the month (first Saturday free admission day).

Ice skating

There’s usually a narrow window, but when conditions allow, ice skaters flock to the Third Avenue Pier for excellent skating on Lake Pend Oreille; you may also be able to get into a pick-up hockey game. Also, Sand Creek below the Cedar Street Bridge downtown can provide a charming venue for ice skating. The city also frequently clears an ice skating area at City Beach near the mouth of Sand Creek.

'A picture-perfect mountain town...'

We don’t like to brag, so…. we’ll let USA Today do it for us. See what they say about Sandpoint, and a dozen other media too.
Click to see all the raves.

More Activities to Explore

Cambium Spa at Schweitzer

Stoneridge Golf Course

Priest Lake Golf Course

Ranch Club Golf Course

Mirror Lake Golf Course

Pine Street Woods

Western Pleasure Guest Ranch

Schweitzer

Mickinnick Trail

Mineral Point Interpretive Trail

Gold Hill Trail

Silverwood Theme Park

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