Priest Lake State Park - Idaho
When your family says, “We’re headed to Priest Lake and we’ve got a spot for you.” You drop everything and get in the car.
Priest Lake is a remote lake paradise. Stretching over 19 miles and surrounded by mountain peaks it boasts sandy beaches, clear clean water and spacious campsites.
Located in North Idaho, Priest Lake State Park is 30 miles South of the Canadian border. The park contains three campgrounds; Dickensheet, Indian Creek and Lionhead. We stayed in the Lionhead campground. Our campsite was spacious and heavily treed which was such a treat. We had plenty of privacy and distant views of Priest Lake.
The main attraction at Priest Lake State Park is of course the lake. Fed by several natural streams and creeks the lake water is pristine. Boaters enjoy miles and miles of open water. Paddle boarders, canoers and kayaks are also welcome. Anglers are rewarded with plenty of fish and in fact, the largest lake trout caught in the United States was caught at Priest Lake in 1971 and weighed in at 57 lbs. 8 oz. (The average lake trout weighs between 4 and 10 pounds.)
Temperatures topped out in the 90’s during our visit so we also took plenty of dips in nearby Lion Creek, located right next to the campground. Hiking and biking trails are everywhere and easy to find. Mike took his mountain bike to Upper Priest Lake which is only accessible by boat, foot or mountain bike. Go in the morning if you want to have the entire lake all to yourself.
If you have the time you won’t want to miss Mother Nature’s own private waterslide. A short drive and a short hike from the campground is the Lion Head Creek Trail. The destination? A waterfall with a series of granite rocks which have become smooth enough to create a natural 100 ft. slip and slide. Bring trash bags to protect your assets and slide down into a small pool. Here’s a link to the trail information.
Our Take: Priest Lake State Park is a must visit. It is remote so keep in mind it takes a while to reach the end of the lake, especially Lionhead campground. The road to the park is long, windy and partially gravel so be extra careful in winter. Be prepared with plenty of gas and in the off season prepare for large potholes.
The beach at the Lionhead campground can be crowded and noisy so if you’re looking for solitude plan to be there early in the morning or head up to Upper Priest Lake. Be sure to take advantage of the fun Visitor’s Center at Indian Creek which has a small store and gas if you need it. In the heat of summer make sure you also make a plan for ice, it’s about an hour drive to the closest market.
Fire Ring: Yes
Ranger Station: Yes which sells ice cream.
Trash on site: Yes, dispersed throughout the campground. No recycling.
Water on site: Yes
This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. Click here for our full disclaimer.
