Pend Oreille Divide Trail #67

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Features Fall Colors · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

This is a ridge trail with no reliable water sources on its path.

Pend Oreille Divide Trail is found in the backcountry of Idaho's Cabinet Mountains. Accessed by about a 1 1/2 hour drive over forest service roads, the fun begins at Trestle Creek Road #275, 12 miles east of Sandpoint on Idaho 200. Trestle Creek Road is a well marked left/north turn off of ID 200 when driving east from Sandpoint. From here:
- go 12 miles on Trestle Creek Road #275
- then veer left onto Lunch Peak Road #1019 for 4 miles
- then park in the parking area, without driving up to the Lunch Peak lookout tower

Pend Oreille Divide Trail #67 is found on the north side of the parking area.

This is a ridge trail that passes several summits. Sometimes on the ridge crest, and other times just below it, the views are amazing. The trail alternates between traveling on the ridge crest and just below it to the east, and west. So the views are continually changing. The ridge is thinly forested in places, with small grassy meadows elsewhere, and a few talus fields. With its views, varied terrain, and short climbs and descents, this is a very fun trail.

Starting off in the grass dotted with trees, high on the ridge, almost immediately the views begin with a hint of what's to come. Interesting mile marks along the way are:
- 1.6 mile mark: trail junction with Gordon Creek Trail #161 to the right/east
- 2.8 mile mark: trail junction with Lake Darling Trail #52 to the right/east
- 3.1 mile mark: a right fork in the trail leads to the Mount Pend Oreille summit on Mount Pend Oreille Summit Spur
- 5 mile mark: forested South Callahan Creek valley drops off to the right/east
- 5 mile mark: trail passes below Mt. Williard summit to the left/west
- 7.6 mile mark: trail passes below Purdy Mountain summit to the right/northeast
- 10.2 mile mark: trail passes below Calder Mountain summit to the right/northeast
- 10.5 mile mark: trail junction with Hemlock Trail #488 to the left/west

A few unnamed summits are also passed. Distant sights to be seen are the Selkirk Mountains to the west, Cabinet Mountains to the east, Lake Pend Oreille to the southwest, mountains galore near and far to the north, and more. Nearby are beautiful, wild, forested mountains and valleys.

Pend Oreille Divide Trail ends after 11 miles, at Orville Heath Trail #54 which can provide forest service road trailhead access to north end of Pend Oreille Divide Trail.

Conifer forest. Small grassy meadows.