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BLM Winter Bucket List -6- Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, for the Annual Eagle Count (15933242690).jpg
Bureau of Land Management · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Lakes → Idaho → Lake Coeur d'Alene

Lake Coeur d'Alene

Idaho · Natural · near Coeur d'Alene

31,000 acres 220 ft deep 25 ft clarity Water A
Compare
7.2SCORE
Survey summary · Idaho
31,000
Surface acres
220 ft
Max depth
109 mi
Shoreline
25 ft
Typical clarity
2,128 ft
Elevation
BLM Winter Bucket List -6- Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, for the Annual Eagle Count (15933242690).jpg Beauty Bay- Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho (75416).jpg Excursion cruiser, Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho (75413).jpg

Photographs of Lake Coeur d'Alene via Wikimedia Commons. Credit and licence on each image — hover to view, click through to the source.

Lake Coeur d'Alene covers 31,000 acres in Idaho and drops to 220 feet at its deepest point. It is a natural lake, which generally means a more stable shoreline and fewer drawdown surprises than an impoundment. Water clarity averages around 25 feet, placing it among the clearer bodies of water in the country. Short-term rental posture: Allowed; Kootenai County. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

  • Exceptional clarity, roughly 25 ft
  • Deep water — 220 ft max
  • Boating
  • Fishing

Score breakdown

WATER RECREATION VALUE ACCESS INVESTMENT
Water 8.5
Recreation 8.1
Value 3.5
Access 7.3
Investment 7.6

Each axis is computed by published formula from this lake's own attributes. How we score.

Water quality grade
Water A
ExcellentClear, low-nutrient water. Typically oligotrophic with high clarity and little seasonal algae.
Water B
GoodHealthy water with moderate clarity. Some seasonal variation, no persistent problems.
Water C
FairProductive water — good fishing, reduced clarity. Algae possible in late summer.
Water D
PoorNutrient-rich or heavily drawn down. Swimmable conditions vary; check before you rely on them.

Computed from measured clarity, trophic state, and drawdown magnitude — not an opinion. See the formula.

Overall score, 1–10
8.0+
ExceptionalStrong on every axis we measure.
7.0–7.9
StrongClearly above average, usually with one standout axis.
6.0–6.9
SolidA good lake with a trade-off worth understanding.
5.0–5.9
MixedReal strengths and real compromises.
Under 5
CompromisedSomething material — volatility, water quality, or access.

Weighted: water 26% · recreation 22% · investment 20% · value 18% · access 14%.

Fishery

Chinook salmonKokaneeNorthern pikeCutthroat trout

On the water

BoatingFishingGolfPaddlingSeaplanes
Live from USGS gauge 12415500. These are direct sensor readings, not estimates.
27.77 ft
Gage height
2026-08-04

Gauge history

Daily values from USGS. Loading up to one year.

What the drawdown looks like

Full pool vs autumn low · Lake Coeur d'Alene
4 ft FULL POOL AUTUMN LOW

The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 4 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

Location

No NHD boundary matched this water body, so the marker shows the mapped centre point.

Depth profile

SURFACE 220 ft max avg 70 ft

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 220 ft, average 70 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityStable Typical drawdown4 ft Drawdown seasonAutumn Trophic stateOligotrophic Typical clarity25 ft Water quality gradeA Elevation2,128 ft Managing authorityIdaho DEQ

Dock & shoreline

Permitting authorityIdaho Dept of Lands Wake / speed rulesNo-wake within 200ft
A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with Idaho Dept of Lands that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

Allowed; Kootenai County

Generally permitted, but rules change. Confirm the specific municipality and any HOA covenant.
Model rental income →
Modeled estimates. Market figures are derived from lake attributes and regional patterns, not from MLS data. Treat them as a starting point, not a comp.
$1,085,000
Median waterfront
$4,998
Per shoreline foot
-2.4%
Year over year
59
Est. inventory
44
Avg days on market
$609
Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy68% Booked nights / yr179 Gross revenue$119,162 Net operating income$59,379 Yield on median price5.47%
Open the full model →

What a median-priced home on Lake Coeur d'Alene actually costs to carry, with waterfront-specific line items most calculators omit.

$8,621
All-in per month
$246,290
Cash to close + setup
$18,902
Beyond P&I, tax, insurance
Where the annual cost goes
$103,452 PER YEAR
Principal & interest $68,600 (67%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $11,935 (12%) Property taxes $11,392 (11%) Hazard insurance $4,557 (4%) Utilities $2,700 (3%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (1%) Dock maintenance $900 (1%) Flood insurance $878 (1%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest$68,600
Property taxes$11,392
Hazard insurance$4,557
Flood insurance$878
Utilities$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)$11,935
Septic service$520
Well & water testing$260
Dock maintenance$900
Winterization / seasonal close$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve$960
Total$103,452
Model your own numbers →
3.0 / 5 from 1 review
Depends heavily on your cove
Chris N. · Owner on the lake · Summer 2025
3/5

Main channel is fantastic. Some of the back coves get shallow and mucky by late summer. Walk the actual shoreline before you commit, not just the listing photos.

For sale

Homes on Lake Coeur d'Alene

All listings →
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