Round Lake, Idaho

Welcome back friends!  It’s been a long time.  I checked and I think my last post was in August 2022.  Things got rough for me after that with months of being sick then two near death experiences in Nov. 2022 with a 20 day hospital stay and 5 1/2 weeks in rehabilitation to be able to sit, stand, walk and be independent again and then my focus was on recovery.  I’m still doing daily work to free this planet and you can read about that work on my other blog – https://empowerandbalance.wordpress.com/.  I continue to go on daily walks and have managed to get in some hikes, too.  I took a chance and sqeezed into my almost full WP media allowance a few photos of Round Lake, Idaho.  I’ve been there a few times and always enjoy the place.  I’ve always been there in the summer or fall but it is open in the winter, too.  So come along and walk with me!  


Round Lake is a 58 acre lake and the park is 142 acres.  It is located 10 miles south of Sandpoint, Idaho, and 71 miles NE of Spokane, WA.  There are a few trails.  I’ve always hiked the “Trapper” trail that is 1.8 miles long and it goes around the lake, flat to up and down and added in the “Swamp” trail that is .2 miles long.  There is the longer loop trail, the “Stewardship” trail, that joins and separates from the Trapper trail and can be used for hiking and biking and is groomed for snow-shoeing and cross country skiing in the winter snow. 

 
In the summer months there is also non-motorized boating with boat, canoe and Stand up paddle boards available to rent; swimming and camping.  There is a boat launch/ramp, an amphitheater, grills, fire rings, indoor showers and restrooms, 35 standard camp sites and 16 serviced sites with electricity and water and a dump station and firewood for sale. The park holds various programs.  There is also bird watching and fishing, with your own or loaner fishing rods.  Day use is open from 7 am to 10 pm. 

I like this Lake for hiking because it is wild enough for me to feel like I’m out in nature, but close to a town and the length and easy hike suits me right now.  It leads over a bridge that crosses Cocolalla Creek. 

After the bridge you see some swampy looking plants:

 

Then on the South and South East side of the lake you walk past large swathes of Skunk Cabbage:

I first encountered this plant while hiking in North Humboldt county.  It grows so lushly and looks so primordal to me.  The leaves are big, growing up to 16 to 22 inches long and 12-16 inches wide.  They bloom in the early spring and bruised leaves put off a skunk like smell.  On the swamp trail I’ve seen garter snakes and the plants are indicative of wet land plants.  

Every part of the “Trapper” trail gives you different views, with signs along the way talking about the ecology of the land, tree growth, etc. 

Hope you’ve enjoyed the walk.  Come check out this great little lake.  The website gives the up to date fee schedule: https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/round-lake/

Thanks for reading and hanging in there with my infrequent posting and issue with running out of room for media storage here until I have the funds to pay for a larger storage 🙂  In the meantime, take care, and enjoy and get out there and commune with this beautiful planet.

Love, katelon