Coeur d'Alene Parks

The Lake City highlights almost 20 parks, with a total of 409 acres offering spectacular vistas of Lake Coeur d'Alene and surrounding terrain. The downtown area is especially rich in hikes, sites and activities for the whole family. So, whether you're in the mood to break a sweat along one of the many nature trails, or just relax and take in the beauty of Lake Coeur d'Alene, here are a few top spots flourishing with North Idaho flavor.

Tubbs Hill Nature Area

As one of the most well-known parks in town, Tubbs Hill provides a scenery-packed hike via its main 2.2 mile trail. Protruding out of Lake City's southern-most end like a great, tree-topped dome, the park's 120 acres live up to the "nature area" moniker. It's surrounded to the east, west and south by beautiful Lake Coeur d'Alene and offers spectacular viewpoints, swimming holes and beaches for sun-seeking bathers.

From the main entrance on the west side, located at the south end of 3rd Street, the parking lot leads to the most-used dirt and rock route, which provides a leisurely trek all around the hill's fringes. The main trail has a few offshoots leading either north for hikers seeking a more arduous adventure along the many hidden trails, or south toward the city streets. The highest point on Tubbs Hill provides a 360-degree panorama that is well worth the effort.

Parking at the southern end of 3rd Street is free for the first two hours and $1 for every hour after. The 1.3 acre East Tubbs Hill Park and nature area entrance provides free parking at 10th Street South.

Coeur d'Alene City Park and Independence Point

If Coeur d'Alene had a signature spot, this would surely be it. As the spectacular link between the Fort Sherman Grounds area and downtown business loop, these conjoined parks, with their wooded areas to the north and strip of beaches to the south, offer a bevy of events throughout the months.

Among the park's most popular features: two often-busy basketball courts; a bandshell -

home to the summer's Sunday Concert Series; tour boats, seaplanes and parasailing; enough shaded grounds for many family's picnics; and, of course, the sandy beaches that draw large crowds at the mere hint of sunshine. The shoreline that stretches to the west of the Coeur d'Alene Resort is often the busiest, packed with sun-baked beachgoers. The beach lining the road around North Idaho College, along East Rosenberry and West Lakeshore Drives, tends to be calmer than its Independence Point counterpart.

Parking can be a hassle, especially on weekends, so it's best to arrive early in the day. Space is available across the street from the City Park's north side at Memorial Field, but fills up quickly. For an hourly fee, spaces are also available at the Independence Point entrance, East Lakeside Avenue. More parking is available along the one-way street, East Rosenberry Drive.

Memorial Field

Abutting Coeur d'Alene's great City Park, the baseball/softball diamond, children's play equipment, skateboard park and ample parking spots make up Memorial Field. Just south of the City Park's wooded and grassy expanse and across the street on West Mullan Road, the field provides highlight-reel thrills at the skateboard park and baseball diamond, while a vendor under the bleachers and near the main entrance has all your food and refreshment needs covered.

McEuen Field and Veterans Memorial Park

Sports-minded visitors will want to check out the 14 acres of athletic grounds that make up McEuen Field. Located one block south of Sherman Avenue along East Front Avenue, between south 3rd Street and 7th Street at the foot of the Tubbs Hill Nature Area, the field offers three baseball/softball diamonds, several tennis courts, a basketball court, large picnic areas, play areas for children and views of Coeur d'Alene lake and the marina.

A short walk across the parking lot and boat ramps of the 3rd Street entrance, visitors will find the Veterans Memorial, a grassy knoll less than an acre in size that leads to the Coeur d'Alene Resort's boardwalk.