HomeIdahoCoeur d'Alene › Fernan Lake Natural Area

Fernan Lake Natural Area

4.5 ★★★★★ 62 Google reviews · Running trail in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Not reported
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Posted hours

Confirmed from Fernan Lake Natural Area's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

ScenicDog-friendlyHillyTrailhead parking

Foot-friendly area with lakeside trails, fishing and a launch for kayaking.

What runners say about Fernan Lake Natural Area

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (62 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

🏞️ beautiful scenery 14 mentions

“Anyone deciding to come to Idaho I suggest this as Idaho is no longer the beautiful nice friendly welcoming place it once was.”

Beautiful place to hike. We didn't see anyone else while there. Lots of options for trails although none were marked. We had fun exploring and had no trouble finding our way back to the parking lot.

★★★★★ — Kathleen , Oct 2022

This is a beautiful area to enjoy the lake, do some fishing, picnic, or launch a boat. Being so close to town you can expect it to be a fairly high traffic area but there is typically plenty of space to find your own spot for fishing or relaxing on the grass.

★★★★★ — Robert , May 2020

This is one of my family's favorite places to go. You can take a little Trail down to the water to give your dog was a drink. Beautiful scenery and if you're lucky you'll see a bald eagle.

★★★★★ — Travis , Jul 2022

Beautiful place to hike! Lots of trails and paths different ways throughout the nature area. Lots of small areas to stand and look at the scenery off the path!

★★★★★ — Heidi , Apr 2019

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 62 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🏞️ Scenic views 18 mentions

“Anyone deciding to come to Idaho I suggest this as Idaho is no longer the beautiful nice friendly welcoming place it once was.”

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🐕 Dog-friendly 5 mentions

“You can take a little Trail down to the water to give your dog was a drink.”

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⛰️ Hills / elevation 3 mentions

“The growing trails areas on the southwest part of the lake (Potlatch Hill Road) are great for short, scenic hikes.”

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🅿️ Trailhead parking 3 mentions

“We had fun exploring and had no trouble finding our way back to the parking lot.”

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Plan your run at Fernan Lake Natural Area

The practical stuff

  • AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
  • DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
  • Websitecdaid.org

Hours

Monday 8 AM–5 PM
Tuesday 8 AM–5 PM
Wednesday 8 AM–5 PM
Thursday 8 AM–5 PM
Friday 8 AM–5 PM
Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Fernan Lake Natural Area

2747 E Potlatch Hill Rd, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814

Get directions

Running trails near Coeur d'Alene

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Tubbs Hill Trail Marker

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LoopScenicDog-friendly

Lush park with lake views and several easy-to- moderate trails.

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Tubbs Hill Trailhead

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LoopNatural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

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Coeur D'Alene Centennial Trail

4.5 ★★★★★ 6 reviews

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1.3 miles away

McEuen Park and Dog Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 3,546 reviews

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ScenicDog-friendly

Vast waterside space featuring walking trails, a playground & a sand beach area.

1.4 miles away

McEuen Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 3,146 reviews

Coeur d'Alene, ID

PavedScenicDog-friendly

Lakeside park with recreation trails, a large playground with a splash pad & an off-leash dog area.

1.4 miles away

Tubbs Hill

4.8 ★★★★★ 1,635 reviews

Coeur d'Alene, ID

LoopMixedScenic

Picturesque, lakefront 120-acre park with native vegetation & trails for hiking.

1.5 miles away

All running trails in Coeur d'Alene, ID →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.