One of the best birds to start with is the American White Pelican. Due to their size they are hard to miss and easy to observe if you know where to look. They have unique behaviors that distinguish them from other large whitewater-loving birds like swans and herons, even from afar. 

The White Pelican is one of the largest birds in North America with a wingspan of 8-9.5 feet, dwarfing bald eagles, whose wingspan is 6 feet. Their wingspan is similar to swans, but the heavy-bodied pelican have a characteristic huge yellow bill with an expandable throat sac. When flying, white pelicans expose their black wingtips. They fly in flocks with a distinctive “v” pattern and usually float in these flocks on remote lakes in our region.  

Watching these birds forage is a great example of teamwork. These birds use their large bills and their fellow flock to forage for fish and invertebrates. In deeper water the flock swims in circles, helping corral fish toward individual birds. They do not dive for fish or crawdads like the brown pelican; instead, they dabble, up ending their rumps to reach deeper into the water. 

American White Pelicans nest in remote brackish and inland islands from southern Wyoming to Alberta, Canada. According to Washington Fish and Wildlife, these pelican did not breed in the state from 1930-1955, but there is now a colony on the Columbia River’s Badger Island near Walla Walla.  

They lay one to two eggs but frequently only one chick fledges. The parents will both rear the young for three to four weeks. Then the chick will join other young in the flock and fledge at 10 weeks, ready for a long flight south. In winter, to avoiding frozen lakes and rivers, these birds head for the coast of northern Central America, southern California, and Florida.  

Locally, American White Pelicans can be found in the spring trolling many of the quieter lakes in our region. I have seen flocks while floating the chain lakes along the Coeur d’Alene River and in the southern end of the lake while biking the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. Small flocks will also frequent some of the larger kettle ponds on the Okanagan plateau.

Adam Gebauer is the Nature columnist for Out There. He is currently training his new dog to ski, bike, run, and maybe climb 5.11. 

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Also known as the Upper Coeur d’Alene River, this “cleaner” river fork – the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River is the one still impacted by mining-contaminated sediments – is known for its clear water and warm temps during shallow summer flows.

To get there, head up the north fork near I-90’s Kingston exit, which is 28 miles east of Coeur d’Alene. From here, head north on the Coeur d’Alene River Road (forest road #9 and then #208) to access abundant camping and river recreation opportunities.

Only 1.5 miles from I-90 is the Snake Pit restaurant, otherwise known as the Enaville Resort. Children will be intrigued by this historic building and its eccentric interior décor. The Enaville Trailhead for the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, a paved trail for biking and other non-motorized recreation, is also nearby.

Continuing up river on the river road, past the privately-owned RV campgrounds and the town of Prichard and Lutherhaven’s Shoshone Creek Ranch, you’ll travel further north into wilder country. Long past the point of losing cell phone coverage is where a truly peaceful camping experience awaits you at one of the four U.S. Forest Service campgrounds – all located more than 35 miles upstream from I-90.

Kit Price, at 2,550’ elevation, is the largest one, with 52 campsites; Devil’s Elbow, Big Hank, and Bumblebee are the three other Forest Service campgrounds. (Be sure to check campground updates for seasonal and maintenance closures before planning your trip.) All are rustic, which means there is potable water, vault toilets, and campground hosts, but that’s it – no sinks, shower facilities, or electric hook-ups for RVs.

While weekends are typically full, Kit Price is quiet and sparsely populated during weekdays. The North Fork borders Kit Price Campground’s east side, with easy access locations interspersed between campsites. It takes about 15-20 minutes to float from the main campground swimming and tube launch area to the campground’s most downriver take-out point, before the forest road #208 bridge. When not swimming or tubing, my kids were bike-riding the campground’s flat loops.

My family also drove upriver from the campground to explore further – while my husband went fly fishing, I played river guide for my two children and our dog. The freedom and fun of tubing expanded my children’s wilderness awareness. We enjoyed bucolic views of mountain peaks and rocky riverbank outcrops and a mosaic of greens from the surrounding conifers and aspens. We caught a frog, saw trout and skipped rocks.

My children floated on cheap, brightly-colored tubes (well downriver of Daddy’s fly line), while I guided them through riffles and small rapids by walking alongside them (only calf-deep water in some places) or sharing a tube with my daughter and holding my son’s hand. A found “river stick” was used to push through the slowest shallow sections, as a walking stick for the slippery riverbed, and for reaching out to my kids and pulling them along when needed.

Although the river can be exceptionally low in some spots by August – more so this year – it’s a natural playground for all ages.

Children should always wear PFDs and remain within an arm’s length of an adult while tubing. There are occasional deep swimming holes along the river. And be aware of and avoid “strainers” (downed trees in the river) and “sweepers” (overhanging branches that can knock you off a tube, leading to entrapment or drowning). Both parents and children should wear durable sandals that attach with straps – no flip-flops.

While tubing, if you encounter anyone fly-fishing, be respectful and don’t disrupt the upriver riffles or fly-line. This typically means exiting the river and carrying your tube downriver, or passing behind the person fishing.

Be sure to follow Leave No Trace principles, especially outside of established campground areas. The riverbank and forest land continues to be abused by litter and unsanitary hygiene practices in primitive recreation areas. Remember: pack it in, pack it out.

Visit the Idaho Panhandle National Forest’s website for more info. Campsite reservations available from Recreation.gov.

Visit the Out There Kids column for more stories about ideas, activities, and recommended adventure travel for families and children.

For more stories about fly fishing, visit the OTO archives.

[Feature photo by Judd McCaffree. // Floating on the North Fork of the CDA River.]

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