Round Lake....aka "Our Lake"

A sweet little lake for kayaking, Summer 2015

I am in love with a little lake. I love that we can load up the truck with kayaks/dogs/chairs, etc and be there in 5 mins flat. That's something that never happens in So Cal (every adventurous thing is atleast an hour away)  
In the cooler months at Round Lake, it feels like you have the whole place to yourself (hence the nickname "Our Lake"). It's calm and serene wtih a meditative quality perfect for kayaking, hiking, fishing, or just reading a good book on the beach.   

Here are things I love most about Round Lake:

The Kayaking: Just about my absolute favorite thing to do at Round Lake! There's a sweet little spot back at the SW corner of the lake that is so peaceful and gorgeous to putt around in. We've spotted deer and other wildlife right on the banks. (click pix to enlarge)

The Beach: There's a nice little beach sandwhiched between two fishing docks which are perfect for jumping off of. Last summer there was an inflatable island tied up to one of the docks all summer long. Looked like anyone could take it out and use it. I was so happy to discover that the summertime water temps were WARM...Yay!!

Me and my sis, Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay, Wastin' Time......July 2015

Looks hazy becasue wildfires were raging nearby.

The beach is to the left of the dock, and the small boat launch to the right.

The Hiking: The easy "Trapper's Trail" goes 2 miles all the way around the lake. For the most part it's easy and flat and sticks to the shore for the most part. Small kids and older folks in normal, good shape should have no problem. There is one short part that is mildly steep.

There are 2 foot bridges to cross, and interesting signs here and there telling about the wildlife and environment.



 There's a longer "Stewardship Trail" that I haven’t taken, but I hear it's good for mountain bikes, shoeshoeing, etc. That one goes off into the woods more than the Trappers Trail, and I was too afraid to take it alone. Im still a desert gal getting used to all these scary woods. :-) 

Here's my better half taking a break and enjoying this bench halfway around the lake on the Trappers Trail. Its looks out across the lake, back to the beach/parking area where the trail begins. Great spot to watch Osprey dive-bombing their dinner.



Either trail brings takes you back to the campground where (in Summer) there is a Visitor's Center to grab popsicles, water, fridge magnets, coffee mugs, etc or just talk to a friendly ranger.

One thing I should warn you about is the end of the trail. 

In SPRINGTIME, it can be a wee bit flooded. After hiking almost 2 miles, we came upon this flooded area and tried going around it (it was a large flooded area, not just the trail part) but were afraid to cut thru a farmer's field (looking back we should've just done that), and we did not want to walk 2 miles back to the start. Soooo.... we forged ahead. The weather was warm so we didnt really care, we had a good laugh about it. Just a heads up. Here's a video, sorry for the one curse word.

The Fees: Only $5! (in 2015) Round Lake is within a State Park and ther is this small day-use fee.  We get in free because we paid $10 for a sticker that gets us into ALL Idaho State Parks for a whole year. To a So-Cal gal this was an incredible bargain, because in California that same type of pass costs $195! .... Did I mention I Love Idaho?!?

From Sandpoint, take the 95 for 10 miles south and turn right ontof Dufort Rd.  Then go about 2 miles, it will be on the Left. There will be signs for Round Lake State Park.

https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/round-lake