Lake Pend Oreille
On a map, Lake Pend Oreille looks like an ear, or perhaps a question mark missing the dot. Not that you can really tell much about its shape when you're down on the water. It's simply too big to discern much more than water, sky and mountains stretching for miles. more info
How big is it exactly? The 43-mile-long lake is nearly as long as Lake Ontario. At its greatest girth, Lake Pend Oreille is just over six miles wide. And in one respect, it outdoes all but five lakes in the nation, Lake Pend Oreille is a lot deeper.
Big Shoreline
If you wanted to paddle around the lake's shore in a kayak, you would have to make approximately 118,539 strokes with an oar to follow the 111 miles of shoreline.
If you have about a week, there are plenty of places where you can reach the lake by car, bike or foot, or can launch a boat.
Big Geology
In prehistoric times, Lake Pend Oreille was part of a massive inland sea called Lake Missoula, which was formed by an ice dam created by huge glaciers.
Many visitors to Lake Pend Oreille are captivated by its rugged beauty that begs comparison to the fjords of Scandinavia. The three major mountain ranges which surround Lake Pend Oreille are the Selkirks to the north, Coeur d'Alenes to the south and Cabinets to the east.
Big History
Lake Pend Oreille's history stretches back to its native inhabitants, the Kalispel Indians, who lived here for thousands of years. There are only about 250 Kalispel Indians now, most of whom live on the tribe's small reservation on the Pend Oreille River in Washington, and the tribe is not officially recognized in Idaho. But the lake is very much their home ground, and well into the 1930s Sandpoint was the site of annual gatherings of Kalispel, Kootenai and other tribes who held horse races, played traditional games and kept their culture alive.
All in all, there is much to do at Lake Pend Oreille. Choose any of the following to have a great experience: Lake Parks, Lake Drives, Lake Walks, Lake Wildlife, Boat Tours, Sailing and Fishing.
Lake Pend Oreille, MT Weather
Currently Outside 55FClear. Cool. |
