Take a Hike | Mickinnick Trail
One of the more popular trails in Sandpoint is Mickinnick Trail. Located right in town, this trail packs a punch at 7 miles in length and over 2,100 feet in elevation gain. It’s a workout, folks.
Despite the incline, the views are worth it. At the peak, hikers are rewarded with sweeping views of Pend Oreille Lake, the city of Sandpoint, the long bridge, and the airport. We completed this hike on a very hot day in August, which I don’t recommend. If you must fit this in on a warmer day, do yourself a favor and get up nice and early to beat the heat. It was a bit much for my preference.
As I mentioned, this hike is a climb pretty much the whole time. There are a couple of spots where it levels out for a bit, but be prepared to get a good workout - I think my butt was sore for at least three days after. I do know a local ultramarathoner in town that uses this trail for training regularly, so if you fall into that category, then this will seem like a gentle walk in the park. For everyone else, I know of a good yoga video on YouTube that will help with those glutes.
We expected this hike to take most of the day and packed accordingly - lots of water, snacks, sandwiches, and dog treats for Wylie. This was her first big hike with us, so it was exciting and we wanted it to be a positive experience for her. Spoiler alert: it was. It is interesting hiking with a dog that needs to be leashed. It’s a bit more cumbersome, and because we can never move fast enough for her, a bit harder on the knees on the way down. Overall, we all had a great time and enjoyed our break for lunch at the top. If you’re an early bird, this would be a fantastic spot to watch the sunrise.
I haven’t gotten nearly enough local hikes in since moving, but this hike was really motivating and I’m eager to get back into some more solo hiking with Wy in 2023 since Kyle is traveling more for work. If you have any hiking goals for 2023, or if you have any suggestions for great local hikes, let me know in the comments!