A Great Blue Heron rookery with 35-50 pairs of breeding herons can be found at Heyburn State Park. During the summer, Osprey, Wood Ducks, and Canada Geese use artificial nest structures, which have been monitored for 10-25 years. Red-necked Grebes and Soras nest here as well. At least 5,000-10,000 waterfowl use this site as a staging area from October to freeze-up. Most abundant species are American Wigeon, Mallards, and Canada Geese. There have been several records of vagrant birds here including Eurasian Wigeon, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Bewick’s Wren, Greater Scaup, and even a record of an Ancient Murrelet.

Created in 1908, Heyburn State Park is the oldest park in the Pacific Northwest. Towering Ponderosa pines give way to flower-filled meadows and placid waters. Visitors can enjoy the peaceful serenity of cottages, cabins and campsites and admire the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps who built many buildings within the park in the 1930s.

Comprised of about 5,744 acres of land and 2,332 acres of water, Heyburn State Park is a paddler and pedaler paradise. Miles of trails await you whether you are a hiker, cyclist or horse rider. Bring your own boat or rent a kayak, canoe, or standup paddleboard and enjoy three lakes — Chatcolet, Benewah and Hidden Lakes, or the shadowy St. Joe River, which meanders along the eastern boundary of the park. The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, one of the most popular biking trails in the western United States, runs directly through the park.