Hayden Lake, Kootenai County, Idaho

Hayden Lake (3,880 acres), with its crystal clear waters, sandy beaches and picturesque timber shores... is one of the most beautiful and popular lakes of Northern Idaho. It's irregular shape gives it about 40 miles of shoreline with the main portion of the lake being seven miles long and one to two miles wide. Normal lake elevation is 2,239 ft. above sea level, and portions of it reach 178 ft. deep. The lake is surrounded on three sides by panoramic timbered mountains which rise to an elevation of 4,500 to 6,000 ft. In the early years as many as four steamboats served the lake industry, and Bing Crosby built a summer home on its shores.

Hayden lake is a great sailing lake and I have personally sailed many times on this lake. Its winds are similar to Lake Coeur d’Alene’s with Spring and Fall having the best winds; winter also has nice winds but they are lighter than Spring and Fall winds. Summer winds are light during the day with morning and late evenings producing nice thermal winds (from the East or West). This lake tends to produce winds from all different directions during mid day and seems to not have consistent wind patterns other than in the morning and evenings, but it is still a very enjoyable lake to sail on. This lake is a popular location for water skiing and fishing.

There are two boat launches on Hayden lake, one on the Southwest end (Honeysuckle) and one on the Northeast end (Sportsmen Access). There is also a private marina just a short distance from the Honeysuckle Launch to the Southeast from this boat launch. Honeysuckle Beach boat launch and park is located on the east end of Honeysuckle Avenue and is by far the best public launch facility and the only one you could launch a swing keel sailboat from. Hayden Lake Sportsmen Access is on the Northeast end of the lake. Hayden Lake is suited for dinghies and has a steep road down to the ramp (I really do not feel this is a good place to launch a sailboat of any kind from. It's best suited for kayaks & dinghies 16’ and under).

Free printable Map available soon!

OTHER: Hayden Chamber of Commerce http://www.haydenchamber.org ; Phone #'s: Honeysuckle Beach 772-4411; N.E. Sportsman's Access 446-1275.

BOAT LAUNCHES AND MARINA

1. Honeysuckle Park, Boat Launch, & Beach 

Directions: From Hayden Idaho on US HWY 95...  Go east on Honeysuckle Avenue all the way to the Honeysuckle Boat Launch and park. East Honeysuckle Road intersects with 4th Street. Maps: View Google Map below...

ACCESSIBILITY: PARKING... Paved from level to 3 percent inclines; PATHS/TRAILS... Marked paths to and from launch and beach area. Paved wide path to beach from parking lot. There is a gravel wide level path along the dike to and from low head dam; RESTROOMS/FACILITIES/SHADE… One fully accessible restroom. Shade via trees; DOCKS/LAUNCHES/PLATFORMS… Fully accessible docks and ramps. One 2 lane cement launch, 3% grade; DIRECT WATER ACCESS… There is a paved wide path to the beach, No access pad for wheeled mobility devices over the beach into the water. Beach sand is not supper soft and beach has about a 2% grade; TRANSFER SYSTEMS... None; SENSORY... No sensory tactile markers for those with visual and other impairments; CAMPING... No camping at or near by; O.T.H.E.R… Oddities/Barriers: None; Terrain: Is mostly level with steepest grade of 3 percent in the northeast end of the parking lot; H2O/Water: Water normally clear. Water temperature in the summer can be around 70 degree. Drinking water available; Environmental Conditions: Varies; Resources: Summer months there is a concessions stand at the launch park area. Food, drinks, and gas in town of Hayden. Here are two links from the City of Hayden Honeysuckle launch/park info http://www.hayden.govoffice.com/ and Kootenai County parks and water ways Hayden Lake sportsman access info http://www.co.kootenai.id.us/departments/parkswaterways/facilities/SportsmansAccessHayden.asp

2. Hayden Marina
Marine, boat launch (2 ramps), services...

Directions: From Hayden Idaho on US HWY 95... Travel east on E. Honeysuckle Ave. Turn right after intersecting 4th Street on East Honeysuckle Ave. Take East Hayden Ave. to Hayden Marina. Maps: View Google Map below...

ACCESSIBILITY: PARKING... Paved from level to 3 percent inclines; PATHS/TRAILS... None; RESTROOMS/FACILITIES/SHADE… Not accessible; DOCKS/LAUNCHES/PLATFORMS… Fully accessible docks and ramps. One cement single lane launch, 7% grade; DIRECT WATER ACCESS… None; TRANSFER SYSTEMS... None; SENSORY... No sensory tactile markers for those with visual and other impairments; CAMPING... No camping at or near by; O.T.H.E.R… Oddities/Barriers: None; Terrain: Is mostly level with steepest grade of 5 percent; H2O/Water: Water normally clear. Water temperature in the summer can be around 70 degree. Drinking water available; Environmental Conditions: Varies; Resources: Food, drinks, and gas in town of Hayden.

3. Mokins Bay & Campground

Directions: From Interstate 90 in Coeur d'Alene... Go north on US Hwy 95 for 6 miles. Turn east on Lancaster Road (turns into East Hayden Lake Rd). Go 5 miles (paved), and then 11 miles around Hayden Lake to Mokins Bay. Turn east at the "Public Camp" sign and go 200 feet to campground. 

 

ACCESSIBILITY: Will be assessed May 2019

NATIONAL FOREST SERVICE: Mokins Bay Campground - Open from late spring to late summer.  Facilities: Sixteen camp units, potable water... Contact the Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District for actual opening and closing dates. You can anchor your boat in the bay across the road from the campground and/or walk down the lake bank to the water and paddle out via small watercraft. Fees: There are fees to camp. Contact the Forest Service for details. Reservations aren't necessary. For more information contact the Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District at http://www.fs.fed.us/ipnf/rec/yourplace/cgguide/map.html

There are no BLM lands on Hayden Lake.

4. Hayden Lake Sportsman Access Boat Launch
This site is built on a sloping hill of significant grade of 10 percent or less. The water at this launch site is heavily invested with lily pad and other aquatic plant life.

Directions: On HWY 95 passing through Hayden Idaho going north... Turn onto E. Lancaster road (turns into East Hayden Lake road); follow to the East Park road Sportsman Access sign.

ACCESSIBILITY: PARKING... Paved from 3 to 7 percent inclines. Parking lot is split from launch area by steep 10 percent inclined paved road; PATHS/TRAILS... None. One must use the launch road from vehicle in parking lot to launch area. Road is 10 percent incline; RESTROOMS/FACILITIES/SHADE… One fully accessible restroom. Shade via trees; DOCKS/LAUNCHES/PLATFORMS… One fully accessible dock with gangway, with one single lane cement launch ramp with 7% grade; DIRECT WATER ACCESS… None. Not suitable for this site; TRANSFER SYSTEMS... None; SENSORY... No sensory tactile markers for those with visual and other impairments; CAMPING... No camping at this site but about 10 miles away is the Mokins Bay Campground (see #3 above this launch info); O.T.H.E.R… Oddities/Barriers: This end of the lake is heavily infested with lily pads and other aquatic plant life making for an idea location for fish and waterfowl to live; Terrain: Is heavily inclined up to 10 percent inclines; H2O/Water: Water normally clear. Water temperature in the summer can be around 70 degrees. No drinking water available; Environmental Conditions: Varies; Resources: Food, drinks, and gas in town of Hayden.

Maps: View Google Map below...

Hayden Lake Google Map... Zoom in to see waypoints... for boat launches, etc.

CLICK THIS LINK TO SEE LIVE CAM VIDEO OF HAYDEN LAKE IDAHO USA AT HAYDEN LAKE COUNTRY CLUB MARINA