Visiting the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

In northern Idaho, near the Canadian border, lies a little-known place packed with wildlife, scenic views, and few people. The Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge is a few miles west of Bonners Ferry. 

I visited on an early, warm summer morning. Just a few minutes into the refuge, I was immediately greeted by an enormous cow moose and her two calves in a marshy grassland. I parked near the education center and took a short walk around the Chickadee Trail. The easy paved loop was a great leg stretcher. Along the way, I spotted a few mule deer and birds flying amongst abundant cattails. 

Myrtle Creek Falls in the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

Next up, besides the chance to see incredible wildlife, the main reason was that I decided to visit the refuge, Waterfall chasing!  Myrtle Creek Falls is a stunning 100-foot fall in the refuge. I’d seen pictures and had always wanted to check it out. Off I went. The trailhead is located across the road from the education center. The entire trail is about a mile and pretty easy. There are a couple of steep stretches, but nothing crazy.  The view is excellent, and the payoff is a clear view of Myrtle Falls at the top. 

I hung out for a while and enjoyed the falls. Surprisingly, I had not seen anyone besides a refuge employee my entire time there. After heading back down, I hiked a few other shorter trails and enjoyed looking for all the birds I could hear singing along the way. On my way out, sure enough, I got lucky and spotted the same three moose again!  

If you are in north Idaho, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge should be on your itinerary. I was pleasantly surprised by the visit. It offers amazing scenery and tons of wildlife, all in about a two-hour visit.