Blackwell Island Recreation Site

About Blackwell Island Recreation Site

OverviewThe Blackwell Island Recreation site opened in 2003, providing boat access to Lake Coeur d’Alene and the Spokane River. Amenities at the site include 130 vehicle-with-trailer parking spaces, 34 single vehicle parking spaces and four accessible boat launch lanes. Visitors can also enjoy a group picnic shelter or individual picnic units or take a walk on the ¼ mile interpretive raised boardwalk trail. An interpretive native plant garden is situated in the southwest corner of the site. This site operates from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily through the operating season. Blackwell Island is open from just before Memorial Day Weekend to mid-October due to fluctuating river water levels. Fees include $12 per day or $80 per season. Credit card machines are available on-site. Season pass is also useable at BLM’s Mineral Ridge Boat Launch, open year-round on the east side of Lake Coeur d’Alene. The Group picnic pavilion can be rented at $80 per day. Please note, this site is closed seasonally every winter from October to mid-May.

How to Get There

From I-90, take the NW Boulevard exit and head south. Take the HWY 95 exit. Entrance to the site is on the right-hand side just after crossing the Hwy 95 south bridge over the Spokane River.

Plan Your Visit to Blackwell Island Recreation Site

Heading to Blackwell Island Recreation Site? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)