Hayden Lake, Idaho

In Kootenai County, Idaho, you can find Hayden Lake surrounded by scenic timbered mountains reaching as high as 600ft in elevation. With roughly 4,000 acres of surface area and 40 miles of shoreline, Hayden Lake offers crystal clear waters and beautiful sandy beaches. In essence, Hayden Lake is both a city and a lake. The Coeur d'Alene Indians are believed to be the first group to inhabit Hayden Lake. In 1878, homesteader Matt Hayden developed farming in the area and introduced the first orchard plant. The picturesque beauty of Hayden Lake drew wealthy individuals like F. Lewis Clark to region in the 1900s. He built his famous mansion on the south shore of Hayden Lake in 1910, which was boasted as the priciest pad in Idaho. Socialite Bing Crosby also planted root in Hayden Lake in the early 1900s. Between 1970 and 2001, Hayden Lake was the site for the neo-Nazi Aryan Nations’ compound. In a 2000 court ruling, the group lost their compound which later changed hands, and the property was eventually acquired by North Idaho College. The college saw it fit to turn the land into a “peace park.”

Hayden Lake is known for its amazing warm-water fly-fishing, with fish that includes over 16” largemouth and smallmouth bass, perch, crappie, and lunker pike, among others. Public shore access is very limited; there are two official access points on Hayden Lake, one is Honeysuckle Beach in the southeast and Sportsman’s Access in the northeast. Honeysuckle Beach is the only public beach which also serves as a boat ramp and picnic area. You can find a private marina close by Honeysuckle Beach. Despite terrible highway traffic in the region, Hayden Lake attracts many to its shores. The lake is great for sailing, skiing, and boating. Some 3,000 powerboats and over 700 sailboats touch the waters of Hayden Lake. You can go for a walk or do some biking on Appleway Trail in the area, or enjoy a game of golf at Avondale Golf Club. You are sure to find an activity that you can enjoy in Hayden Lake.

Two historic homes are in Hayden Lake, one is the John A. Finch, Caretaker’s House, and the other is the Jacob and Christina Thunborg House. The Finch house is significant for its representation of the work of noted architect Kirtland Kelsey Cutter, and its association with mine baron John A. Finch. The Thunborg house is significant in its association with the life of Jacob and Christina Thunborg as the earliest permanent white settlers in Hayden Lake. The natural beauty of the land and its attractions continues to draw people to Hayden Lake, Idaho.

All sizes are approximate.