Amenities

Swimming, shore launch, dogs allowed. Distance from parking area is half a mile.

History

Fur traders David Thompson and Finnan McDonald arrived at Lake Pend Oreille on September 9, 1809, becoming the first known white visitors to the region. Thompson worked for the North West Company, a fur company based in Canada. On arrival at the eastern part of the lake, he was met by a large group of Native Americans that included at least 77 Salish-speaking locals from various regional tribes, along with four Kootenais from farther north — showcasing the diversity of the region at the time. Area tribes often met and intermingled, and the Salish-speaking Kalispels used trails through the Pend Oreille valley to reach traditional hunting grounds. They would travel to Montana to hunt bison until the herds were wiped out by the United States’ westward expansion.  

In his exploration of the area, Thompson took note of the sand that collected where Lake Pend Oreille starts to run into the Pend Oreille River, and the small islands that had formed there at the time. He set up camp here, on what is now known locally known as Dog Beach. Dog Beach Park is currently a pet-friendly sandy spot where dogs can run free. 

A railroad bridge was built here by Northern Pacific railroad in 1882, and replaced in 1905. In more recent years, a large number of the approach spans were replaced, but some parts of the bridge are still over a century old. The most historically significant span, the through truss swing span, remains in place. In a region with few truss bridges of any kind, this is significant.