- Visit: Kootenai Falls and Swinging Bridge
This is an easy 1.6 mile out and back trail. The first part of the trail involves crossing a bridge over railroad tracks and then heading down three flights of stairs. The only issue is- these stairs are metal grated. Max had an easier time climbing up them then he did on the way down. In retrospect, I wish I just carried him down the stairs. If you do this trail, be prepared to either carry your dog down the stairs or have your dog wear foot covers to protect their paws. I saw many other dogs on the trail, and I wonder how they did with the steps. Once down the stairs, you can turn left to get to the swinging bridge, or you can turn right to get to Kootenai Falls. The swinging bridge was longer than I thought it would be and swung more than I thought it would. Max did just fine taking it slow, but I can see how other dogs would not be okay with crossing the bridge. My advice is to try to cross the bridge alone, when there is no one else on the bridge to prevent excessive swaying. After the bridge, there is a short trail down to a rocky beach with access to the river. On the other side of the trail is access to the falls. There are a few trails that can branch off from here into the woods if you want to go for a real hike, but if your goal is to climb the rocks and play in the waterfalls you don’t have to go far. The clarity of the water is truly impressive and Max and I made sure to take some time to sit on some rocks and just take in the beauty of it. There are two free parking lots at the falls, so parking is not an issue. The best part was a little cafe at the entrance, where I purchased some huckleberry ice cream for Max and I to share after our big adventure.
2. Hike: Kootenai National Forest
There are plenty of beautiful trails to choose from, but max and I hiked Henry Lake Trail and cannot recommend it enough. We had this three miles out and back trail completely to ourselves. There is a 7.1 mile dirt road to get to the trailhead. The dirt road has lots of downed trees that have fallen across parts of the road, but were easy to drive around. You will reach a fork about halfway down the dirt road and you want to stay left. The trail has a slow, gradual incline up to the lake. It was enough to feel like I was getting a workout in but not so bad that I had to stop to catch my breath or anything. The best part was it smelled like Christmas trees the whole way to the lake. The trail is narrow, so I am grateful we had it to ourselves as it would have been tricky to pass by anyone. The lake was gorgeous, and Max had himself a little swim.
3. Explore: Yaak Falls
Yaak Falls can be accessed from the Yaak Falls Campground, not to get confused with the Yaak River Campground. The Yaak Falls Campground will take you in a loop. The first stop on the loop is the “River Trail” which consists of some steep steps taking you down to the river where you can swim and explore. The second stop along the loop is a short hike. There are two parking spots and a sign with a picture of two people hiking. The trail is very short but will take you directly to Yaak Falls and the scenic overlook along the highway. I found it difficult to get close to the river and falls because of the large boulders, some too high for Max to jump down from. I had not brought water, anticipating Max would have access to the river, but I regret that because he did not.
4. Eat: in the town of Yaak
About 17 miles from Yaak Falls is the town of Yaak. There are really only three buildings to check out. The first is a saloon that is a popular biker bar. It was closed when we went so we did not check it out. Across the street is the Yaak Mercantile adjacent to the Yaak Tavern. The mercantile was quite a small store, offering some huckleberry flavored treats, t-shirts, and convenience store items. Overall, I was underwhelmed but they were friendly and allowed Max inside. Adjacent is the tavern, which offers picnic tables outside where you and your dog can sit. The only service is a bartender inside, so someone would have to stay with the dog while someone else goes inside to order. Since I was traveling alone and that wasn’t an option, we did not stay. A little further down from the tavern is a drive-through or pull-up coffee shop. In the back there is a parking space and some tables outside, as well as a window to walk up and order. Unfortunately, it was closed when we went but this is where I would have opted to spend time with Max. The coffee shop offered breakfast items, smoothies, and coffee. Of note, it is located on someone’s home property and there were many chickens and a dog roaming around. Max is tempted by chickens so I would have had to keep him on a tight lead here. Since everything was closed and the tavern wasn’t convenient for a solo traveler, we opted to go back to our airBnB and make lunch.
5. Stay: Goat Head Manor
Our AirBnB was the best and the most dog friendly. Goat Head Manor is an apartment stay above a garage on a couple’s property. The property used to be a commune in the 70’s with goats, but is now the couple’s home. They take very good care of the grounds and while there we had access to grassy lawns, a flower/herb garden, an orchard, hiking trails, and a creek. The couple has two friendly dogs who Max enjoyed playing with while we were there. They have free roaming chickens, and the host was nice enough to give me some fresh eggs. She also provided a little bag of treats for Max. There was so much to explore on the property that I was always excited to return.
