Sandpoint

Understand

Sandpoint is a region in transition. From humble timber and fishing beginnings, Sandpoint has been rocketed to among the top destinations in Idaho. It was number one on USA Today's List of Unforgettable Summer Vacations, as well as Sunset Magazine's top small Western Town, along with numerous other distinctions.

This article also covers many small communities lining highways 2, 95 and 200 in east Bonner County, broadly described as part of Sandpoint:

• Careywood 18 miles south on Hwy 95.
• Cocallala 12 miles south on Hwy 95.
• Westmond 10 miles south on Hwy 95.
• Dufort 8 miles south on Hwy 95.
• Algoma 6 miles south on Hwy 95
• Sagle 5 miles south on Hwy 95
• Ponderay 3 miles north, sandwiched between Hwy 95/2 and Hwy 200.
• Kootenai 4 miles north on Hwy 200.
• Sunnyside 6 miles east on Hwy 200
• Oden Bay 8 miles east on Hwy 200.
• Trestle Creek 14 miles east on Hwy 200.
• Hope 16 miles east on Hwy 200.
• East Hope 17 miles east on Hwy 200
• Beyond Hope 21 miles east on Hwy 200
• Dover 3 miles west on Hwy 2.
• Wrencoe 9 miles west on Hwy 2
• LaClede 14 miles west on Hwy 2.

Although Idaho is generally recognized as a Mountain State, Sandpoint and other far northern Idaho cities are often categorized as part of the Pacific Northwest. The closest city of more than 100,000 people is Spokane, Washington, 78 miles away.

The time zone is Pacific (UTC-8), and the area code is 208.

Climate

Located just north of the 48th parallel, Sandpoint's climate is unique in the region. Although found not far from the deserts of Eastern Washington, Northern Idaho is on the rainy side of the next mountain chain - the Rocky Mountains. Many climate maps show Sandpoint as arid or semi-arid but this is not accurate. With long, usually cold winters (average temperatures are generally below freezing, and dip to -20°F for a week or two in February) and short, hot summers, (80-90°F is the average, but be prepared for up to 100°F for short periods) Sandpoint resembles a hemiboreal or even boreal climate, similar to the southern interior of Alaska (Fairbanks and the like, with milder winters).

Winter lasts from late November to March, whereas summer weather doesn't hit until July and peaks in August. Spring (April–June) and autumn (September-early November) are generally rainy and cool. Storms are common - thunderstorms are the norm for hot summer afternoons and windstorms strike the most in spring.

Get in

By car

Sandpoint is on U.S. Route 95 (US-95). From most places, the fastest route is to take Interstate 90 to Coeur d'Alene, then take US-95 north.

From Seattle: I-90 eastbound is the fastest, but it is mostly barren steppe and scrubland. The scenic alternative is US-2, which winds through northern Washington and drops you off right in Sandpoint. It is slightly longer.

From Boise: Take IS-55 or US-95 north through the state. Though it is two-lane most of its length, it is the shortest route, and takes about the same or slightly less than the alternative through eastern Oregon and Washington.

From Missoula: I-90 westbound is your best bet. For an alternative, MT-200 winds through northernwestern Montana, following the Clark Fork River gorge.

By plane

Sandpoint's airport is only served by charter planes. Getting in and out is complex and expensive.

Spokane International Airport (GEG) is about 2 hours southwest of Sandpoint. It is a hub for Horizon Air, Delta Air Lines, Frontier, and Big Sky Air, and airlines like United and Southwest also fly there. Most flights bound for GEG leave from Seattle/Portland, so be prepared to fly to Seattle or Portland even if you are heading east. You can get a flight directly from Minneapolis, but expect to pay more.

By train

• Route serving Sandpoint:

• Empire Builder operating daily between Seattle/Portland and Chicago including stops at Spokane, Glacier National Park, Fargo, Saint Paul, and Milwaukee. The trains split into separate branches between Seattle and Spokane, and between Portland and Spokane, while operating as trains consisting of train cars from both branches between Spokane and Chicago. All trains arrive at and depart from Sandpoint late at night.

By bus

Greyhound Bus Lines operate a station in Coeur d'Alene.

Get around

Although Sandpoint bills itself as a walking town, you can't really see everything without a car, or at least a bike if you're athletic.

Public transportation

Spot Bus serves Sandpoint, Dover, Ponderay and Kootenai.

Other buses are privately owned ones that take you up and down Schweitzer Mountain during the winter ski season.

Taxis

Go next

After all, there's way more to the region than just Sandpoint! In fact, Sandpoint makes a great hub from which to visit smaller (or sometimes larger) communities.

North on US-95:

• Bonners Ferry - Slightly smaller than Sandpoint, Bonners Ferry is a short drive from the Canadian border. It has a cute downtown full of shops and also the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge, where you can hike numerous trails or take a driving tour.
• Cranbrook, British Columbia - Cranbrook is a fun little town not far from the border, whose main attraction is Fort Steele. Fort Steele is a famous re-enactment/museum of pioneer life, complete with exhibits and tradespeople such as tin and blacksmiths, excellent views of Cranbrook, and many exhibits. A must see for all passerby.

West on US-2:

• Priest River - Priest River is home to a cute downtown, Albeni Falls Dam (which supplies the region's power) and plenty of wilderness ripe for discovering. Head north from Priest River, and you will find Priest Lake, a tiny resort town in the middle of nowhere.
• Newport, WA - Just over the Washington border, also on the Pend Oreille river. Newport has lots of shops and a classically themed movie theater.
• Spokane