Idaho · Hiking

Kalispell Island

5.0 mi
round trip
70 ft
climb
2,516 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Kalispell Island open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Idaho Panhandle National Forests. It doesn't name Kalispell Island, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Kalispell Island is a 5-mile out-and-back hike in Idaho's Priest Lake Ranger District, part of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. The trail rises about 70 feet from a low point of 2,453 feet to a high of 2,516 feet, and it is rated moderate. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is natural-surfaced and open to bikes. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July and August highs around 83°F with only five or six wet days a month, while winter brings highs near freezing and regular snow from December through February. The trail is open from June 1 to September 30. Kalispell Island Boat-in Campground sits about half a mile away, and Luby Bay and the Priest Lake Area are both within about a mile and a half. Paddlers can reach the Upper West Branch Priest River about 7.5 miles off.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Kalispell Island

    Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      32° / 22°

      16 wet · 10 snow

    2. Feb

      37° / 22°

      13 wet · 6 snow

    3. Mar

      46° / 26°

      14 wet · 4 snow

    4. Apr

      57° / 31°

      13 wet

    5. May

      68° / 39°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      74° / 44°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      83° / 48°

      6 wet

    8. Aug

      83° / 46°

      5 wet

    9. Sep

      72° / 39°

      7 wet

    10. Oct

      54° / 32°

      12 wet

    11. Nov

      38° / 27°

      15 wet · 5 snow

    12. Dec

      31° / 22°

      17 wet · 11 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Priest Rvr Exp Stn, ID, 14.9 mi away at 2,371 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.