Big Trees Trail - Coeur d'Alene - 9/11/2025
Yesterday I drove from Lewiston to Coeur d'Alene to check out the Big Trees Trail, a 10 mile out-and-back trail with 3400 feet of elevation gain. I was excited to hike something a little more challenging with several steep sections. When I arrived at the trailhead, which is located in an upscale neighborhood, one of the locals greeted me. He told that he had seen bears, and a mountain lion in area recently, and asked if I was carrying any bear spray. I did not have any bear spray on me.
As soon as I hit the trail I realized that the route in AllTrails was outdated. There were sections of the trail that were closed off for restoration, and new trails seemingly all over the place. This meant that I was checking the route every 10 minutes to find my way up the mountain. Several times the app dinged in my ear because I was off trail, but the trail simply didn't exist. Near the top of the peak the trail got very steep, and the trail disappeared almost completely. I was just going straight up the mountain at that point, stopping occasionally to make sure I was going in the right direction, and also pausing because it was grueling.
Eventually I made it to the to the summit after quite a bit of frustration. At the summit I was greeted by radio towers, and dirt bike riders that went up the other side of the mountain. The view of the town, and lake was relatively nice, but nothing spectacular. It seemed like a lot of effort for very little payoff. Overall I wouldn't recommend this trail, unless you enjoy frustrating, steep hikes. The next day I could feel it in my legs, not really sore, just a little stiff, telling me that I actually did a work out.
Oh, and I did not see any bears, or mountain lions on the trail.
