Koocanusa Lake

Koocanusa Lake is a fabulous summer destination when you are traveling in or around Glacier National Park and want to get some swimming, boating or fishing time in.

  • Koocanusa Lake is a fabulous summer destination for your vacation to Glacier
  • Only 16 miles from Libby, Montana on State Highway 37
  • Do some house boating on the lake
  • Hike or ride the trails on horseback
  • Drive the Lake Koocanusa Scenic Byway for wonderful views

Overview

Lake Koocanusa stretches from Canada down through Montana, 95 miles of beauty. Created by the Libby Dam, it’s enormous and yet uncrowded. It’s the perfect destination for fishermen and boaters.

Location/Directions

You can get to Lake Koocanusa by taking US Highway 2 out of Kalispell west. When you get to Libby, Montana you take State Highway 37 east/north about 16 miles until you reach the lake.

Seasons

The lake is accessible all year, but is frozen in winter. The best time to come is the summer for the best in outdoor recreation.

Activities

Fishing
Sport fish thrive in Lake Koocanusa. You’ll find plenty of rainbow, brook and cutthroat trout, Kookanee salmon and whitefish. Fish from the shore in spring and early summer. Later in the summer you’ll do better from a boat.

Boating
There are a number of launching areas and marinas from which to get your boat in the water. You can enjoy everything from house boating to water skiing here.

Swimming
Many of the campgrounds have swimming beaches. The water is usually fairly cold, but certainly refreshing.

Lakeshore Camping and Picnicking
A number of campgrounds around the lake provide all sorts of amenities, such as boat moorage, picnic areas, trails and more.

Hiking and Horseback Riding
With wilderness areas surrounding, you’ll find trails that will take you into the backcountry. There’s even a horse facility north of the lake where you can start your horseback riding adventure.

Scenic Driving
The Lake Koocanusa Scenic Byway is 67 miles of absolute beauty, following the Kootenai River and Lake Koocanusa and connecting Libby and Eureka, Montana. Allow some time for some stops for photos along the way.

Additional Info

Lake Koocanusa got its name from a contest run by the Corps of Engineers during the time the dam was under construction. The Eureka woman who won the contest had combined the first letters of the words Kootenai (the Indian tribe) and Canada and added USA at the end, creating “Koocanusa.”

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