Beauty Bay · Lake Coeur d’Alene · Free BLM hiking trail
Mineral Ridge National Recreation Trail
A free 3.3-mile loop up a forested ridge above Beauty Bay, with 22 interpretive stops, big lake views and, from about November to February, bald eagles on Wolf Lodge Bay below.
Opens the BLM’s Mineral Ridge page. The trail is free, with a paved trailhead lot, picnic shelters, pit toilets and drinking water.
Details checked October 2026
Type
Hiking trail & picnic area
BLM scenic area and National Recreation Trail
Admission
Free
The BLM lists it as a non-fee site
Hours
Open year-round
Day use only; the BLM posts no set hours.
Time needed
1–2 hours
A bit over an hour to the top viewpoint
Parking
Paved trailhead lot
No parking on the ID-97 shoulder
Trail
3.3-mile loop
22 stations; about 660 ft of climbing
What you’ll see
Lake views and a little mining history
A loop trail climbs Mineral Ridge above Beauty Bay and Wolf Lodge Bay, with 22 numbered interpretive stations along the way.
Photo: BLM Idaho on Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Start here
The 3.3-mile interpretive loop
From the paved trailhead off ID-97, the trail switchbacks up through the forest on dirt tread with roots and rocky outcrops, then loops back down. The BLM’s trail guide puts the top at 2,800 feet, about 660 feet above the parking lot, and benches along the way give you places to rest.
RV tip: download the BLM’s free trail guide before you go; it explains each of the 22 stations. In winter, bring traction for your boots, since snow and ice are common on the climb.
More to see
- Radio and Silver Tip viewpointsStation 11, the Radio Viewpoint, and station 22, the Silver Tip Viewpoint, look out over Beauty Bay, Wolf Lodge Bay and the wider lake.
- The abandoned prospectA short spur at station 13 leads to an old mine tunnel. Claims were filed here from 1891, but the BLM says the pits never produced valuable ore.
- Winter bald eaglesFrom about November to February, eagles gather on Wolf Lodge Bay below the ridge. The BLM’s Mineral Ridge boat launch is one of the best places to watch.
- The picnic areaTwo picnic shelters, lawn, drinking water and pit toilets sit at the trailhead, so it works well for a lunch stop.
Why go
A short climb to one of the lake’s best views
Mineral Ridge was developed in 1963 as the BLM’s first recreation site in Idaho, and the loop was named a National Recreation Trail in 1982. Prospectors filed claims on the ridge from 1891, and the Mineral Ridge Mining & Milling Company formed in 1908, but the pits never paid. Today the 22 stations cover the forest, the mining history and the view.
For RVers staying east of town it’s minutes away: the trailhead is about 3 miles south of I-90 exit 22 on ID-97, and the paved lot has picnic shelters, water and pit toilets, so it makes an easy half-day with lunch. The lot isn’t large and can fill on nice days, so bring the tow vehicle rather than the rig.
Late fall and winter are special here. From about November through February, bald eagles gather at Wolf Lodge Bay below the ridge to feed on spawning kokanee salmon. The BLM has counted them since 1974 and recorded a high of 409 on December 20, 2023.
Photo: Cammie Chavez for BLM Idaho on Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Why it made our list
- Free, with no day-use fee
- 22 interpretive stations on a 3.3-mile loop
- Views over Beauty Bay and Wolf Lodge Bay
- Winter bald eagles on the bay below
- Picnic shelters, water and toilets at the trailhead
For RVers
Visiting Mineral Ridge on an RV trip
The practical stuff we wished someone had told us before we pulled in.
Park in the trailhead lot
The BLM asks visitors to use the designated lots and not park on the ID-97 shoulder. It doesn’t post size limits for the paved trailhead lot, so a big rig may not fit on a busy day. Drive over in your tow vehicle or car, or call the BLM at (208) 769-5000 first.
Watch eagles from the boat launch
The BLM’s Mineral Ridge boat launch, just down the road, is open year-round and is a top eagle-viewing spot, along with the trailhead and Higgins Point. Stay in your vehicle where you can, and never stop in a traffic lane; the BLM says that’s illegal. Each winter it also hosts an Eagle Watch event at the launch during the peak.
Dogs on the trail
The BLM’s page doesn’t list a pet rule for Mineral Ridge, though pet travel guides list it as open to leashed dogs. Keep yours on a leash, pack out waste, and don’t leave pets in a parked vehicle on warm days.
Day use only
There’s no camping at Mineral Ridge; it’s a day-use trail and picnic site. The closest camping is Beauty Creek, a Forest Service campground less than a mile away (late May to mid-September), and CampCDA on Wolf Lodge Bay, open year-round.
What visitors say about Mineral Ridge National Recreation Trail
The visitor report card
We don’t copy other sites’ reviews, but the published scores are worth reading together. Scores checked October 28, 2026.
Idaho’s first BLM recreation site
Bureau of Land Management, describing Mineral Ridge · blm.gov
What visitors often mention
Tripadvisor’s popular mentions
Elevation gainThe hikeTractionLake views
Tripadvisor’s review page flags the elevation gain, the hike itself, the need for traction in snow and the lake as popular mentions. It doesn’t show counts for them. Checked October 28, 2026.
Bald eagles counted at the peak
Peak counts from the BLM’s Lake Coeur d’Alene eagle watch page. The 409 eagles counted on December 20, 2023, is the record since counts began in 1974.
Good to know
EntryFree BLM non-fee site
ParkingFree paved trailhead lot
Eagle seasonNov–Feb on Wolf Lodge Bay
At the trailheadPicnic sheltersPit toiletsDrinking water
Facilities and fee status from the BLM’s Mineral Ridge page; eagle season from the BLM’s eagle watch page. All trailhead facilities except the upper picnic shelter are accessible, per the BLM.
Know before you go
Plan your visit
Mineral Ridge National Recreation Trail
- LocationState Hwy 97, 3 mi south of I-90 exit 22, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814
- HoursOpen year-round
Day use only; the BLM posts no set hours. - Phone(208) 769-5000 (BLM Coeur d’Alene Field Office)
- EntryFree; no fee or pass needed
- Getting thereFrom downtown Coeur d’Alene, take I-90 east about 8 miles to exit 22 (Wolf Lodge Bay), then follow ID-97 south about 3 miles to the trailhead.
- ParkingA paved lot at the trailhead and picnic area. Don’t park on the highway shoulder.
The BLM announces closures for tree work or storms on its Mineral Ridge page. In winter, expect snow or ice on the trail, and watch for eagle watchers slowing on ID-97.
Where to stay nearby
RV parks near Mineral Ridge National Recreation Trail
These are the parks we have written up on the east side of Lake Coeur d’Alene, closest to the trailhead. Drive times are estimates for a normal day.
Beauty Creek Campground
Small, quiet Forest Service campground in the trees above Beauty Bay, with paved back-in sites and no hookups. Open late May to mid-September.
CampCDA
Lakeside family campground on Wolf Lodge Bay, with RV sites under the pines, a heated pool and lake access. Open year-round.
Wolf Lodge Campground
Grassy, family-friendly campground on Wolf Lodge Creek right off I-90, with shaded RV sites and a fenced dog park. Open mid-April through October.
Helpful answers
Frequently asked questions
The questions RVers ask most before pulling in.
Open year-round · Free entry
Ready for the view from the ridge?
Park at the paved trailhead off ID-97, take the trail guide and give yourself a couple of hours. In winter, look for eagles on the bay.
Thank you to the people behind these photos and this video. Please support them by giving their work a look. Photos: the Bureau of Land Management in Idaho, including Ben Tran (ridge view), Cammie Chavez (winter) and Drew Benn (bald eagle), via Wikimedia Commons (public domain); the images were resized. Video: Ignited by Nature on YouTube (Mineral Ridge hike). Review-site logos are trademarks of their owners.
Disclaimer
RV-Roundup is an independent, community-based resource created to help RV travelers and to support and promote the places we feature. RV-Roundup is not owned by, operated by, or officially affiliated with the Bureau of Land Management or Mineral Ridge National Recreation Trail unless otherwise stated.
The information on this page was prepared using the most current details available at the time of publication, including the BLM’s published materials and publicly available sources. Access, closures, rules and other details are set by the BLM and may change at any time without notice. Before you go, please confirm details directly with the BLM Coeur d’Alene Field Office at blm.gov or (208) 769-5000. RV-Roundup is not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes made after publication.
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