Winter at Priest Lake
Hundreds of miles of groomed trail, a lake that rarely freezes solid, and a basin that turns quiet enough to hear the snow land.
In brief
Winter at Priest Lake means deep snow from December through March, a lake that mostly stays open while its bays freeze, and one of the largest groomed snowmobile trail systems in the Northwest, with trailheads at Nordman and Coolin. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing use groomed Nordic trails and closed forest roads. Many businesses close or cut hours from October to May.
Snow country
The Priest Lake basin catches storms coming off the Pacific and holds them. Snow depth at lake level is routinely several feet, and the ridges above see far more. The lake itself, deep and cold, usually stays open through winter with ice only in the shallow bays, which makes for a strange and beautiful contrast: black water and white shore.
Winter here belongs to snowmobilers. The Priest Lake trail system is one of the largest in the Northwest, groomed by local clubs and the Forest Service, and it connects to trails across the Washington line and up toward the Canadian border. Nordman and Coolin both serve as trailheads, with parking, fuel and food.
Slower ways in
Cross-country skiers and snowshoers have their own network: groomed Nordic trails near Nordman, the cedar grove at Hanna Flats, and the quiet logging roads that close to cars in winter. The Lakeshore Trail on the west side is skiable in good conditions. Ice fishing happens on the smaller bays when the ice is safe, which is a local judgment, not a calendar date.
Getting through it
Highway 57 is plowed, but East Shore Road and the forest roads are another story. Carry chains, a shovel and a full tank, and check conditions before driving up. Many resorts and restaurants close or cut hours from October to May, so confirm before you count on anything. The reward for coming anyway is the version of Priest Lake most people never see.
- Snowmobile trail maps and grooming reports from local clubs and the Forest Service
- Idaho requires a snowmobile registration and a Park N' Ski permit for groomed Nordic lots
- Avalanche terrain exists in the Selkirks; check the regional avalanche center
- Confirm winter hours for fuel, food and lodging before you go
- Plowed trailheads at Nordman and Coolin; fewer options on the east shore
Updated September 8, 2026
Keep exploring.
- Summer at Priest LakeWhat summer at Priest Lake is really like: water temperatures, beaches, boating and islands, hiking in the Selkirks, huckleberry season and how to plan a week.Read
- Nordman, IdahoA guide to Nordman on Priest Lake's west shore: Reeder Bay, Highway 57, the ancient cedars, Granite Falls and the road toward Canada.Read
- Priest Lake History and CultureThe history of Priest Lake, Idaho: Kalispel homeland, the Jesuit naming, logging and the Forest Service, Nell Shipman's film studio, and cabin culture.Read