Sandpoint, ID

What better way to spend a Sunday morning than hiking with those you love? Beckoned by the crispness in the air and the wide blue skies, we headed out this morning to Round Lake State Park. We want to squeeze in as much outdoor time as we can before winter, and an early fall hike seemed just the thing for today.

After strapping on our hiking shoes and filling up our water backpack, we headed south out of Sandpoint about 8 miles to Dufort Road. We turned right (west) onto Dufort and went about 2 miles to the entrance of the park on the left (the route there was well marked with appropriate signage). We paid our $4.00 entrance fee and headed on in to the day-use area. The sparkling water and soft sands of the lake tempted us – oh, if only it were a slight bit hotter! – but we stayed focused on the task at hand. Heading to the west side of the day-use area we found the trailhead for what is actually three trails. We opted to hike Trapper’s Trail, a trail that follows the lakeshore closely, with a small diversion down Cocolalla Creek.

This trail is easily traversed, even for the most out of shape stay-at-home mother out there (ahem). There are a few ups and downs, and in a couple of places the inclines are steep but short. So you don’t really have a chance to get winded. And while you may not be stopping to catch your breath, you’ll want to stop to get photographs of the lake and the cool scenery that abounds along this trail. Plus, there are interpretive signs all along the way, pointing out things you might otherwise miss (like a beaver dam). We had so much fun pointing out things to our toddler, everything from kayakers to caterpillars.

What I found really nice about the trail is the variation to the scenery. You may be walking along the lake for a while through woods, but then a few steps down and you are in a swamp area. A little while later you are in a wooded area high above the lake. Then it’s back down to a riparian zone. None of us, not even the toddler, got bored along this trail. There was just enough to see and experience that kept our interest, plus it was about the right length.

The trail is about 2 miles, and loops right back to the day-use parking lot. We didn’t time how long it took us to hike it, but it felt like it was about an hour. As we neared the end of the loop we came across the trailhead for the Stomp Tromp Trail, which is a 1/4 mile loop trail geared towards families with young children. We didn’t stop to explore it this time, but we plan on returning later this fall to let our toddler test out her hiking legs. That trailhead is located to the east of the day-use parking area.

While Round Lake is not in wilderness – and certainly, you can hear highway noises and even the train – it’s still a very peaceful hike, probably because motorized boats are not allowed on the lake. It’s open to canoes and kayaks and the like, but motorized boats are off limits. This gives the hiker a better chance to listen to the booming of a bullfrog and the call of an osprey. Plus the laughter from the children swimming in the day-use area! All in all, we had a wonderful hike and really enjoyed ourselves. We felt it was well worth the four bucks, and plan on returning soon to take our daughter on the Stomp Tromp Trail. Hopefully we’ll see you out there!

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For additional information, view the parks and rec website for Round Lake by clicking here. There are restrooms available at Round Lake, as well as picnic tables and covered picnic area. There are two docks for boat launch or fishing. There are also canoes available for rent, and a campground if you want to stay overnight. Whew! Lots to do here! Oh, and dogs on leashes are welcome.