Enjoying the views ... and the Journey

Almost every time I find myself in downtown Coeur d’Alene I see it. That large, green knob to the south looms like a sentry, guarding the city’s south entrance.

I’ve been on the Tubbs Hill trails a few times in the last decade. It seems like every time visitors come to town, someone either wants to hike there or, if nothing of greater importance is planned, I’ll even suggest a trek on the hill.

Now that McEuen Park is finished, I see more people heading up the trails than ever before.

I recently realized its been over four years since I’ve stepped foot on Tubbs Hill. I made it a point to get back up there soon, with equal parts of curiosity in regards to what has changed and what remains untouched.

The Loop Trail, with its fabulous views and wide (in most areas) pathway, has always been my go-to choice. Also marked as the Main Trail, it gets the most traffic and has a tread with widths ranging from 2 to 8 feet, depending on the terrain.

The history of the hill is just as intriguing as many of the views from it. Tony A. Tubbs, a German immigrant, filed a claim on the north end of the lake in 1882. This claim included a portion of the hill. Two years later, Tubbs made a plat of the west portion of his claim and that became know as the ‘Tubbs Addition to the city of Coeur d’Alene.’

Tubbs later became the city’s first justice of the peace, and he is credited with building the city’s first hotel, named the ‘Hotel d’Landing.’

Now part of the Coeur d’Alene city park system, the 120-acre hill brings enjoyment and fitness opportunities to natives and visitors alike through all four seasons.

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On Thursday, I woke up and asked the family dog, Journey, if he’d like to go for a walk (although I already knew the answer — he never says ‘no’ to such a question). After breakfast, we made our way down to McEuen Park, and after one last swig of water each, we set off to conquer the hill.

A quick walk through the park warmed up our legs, and at the start of the trail near the Harbor House and the Third Street marina, we got down to the business of hiking. The first part of the hike is fairly steep, with plenty of jagged rocks to trip you up. The nimble Journey bounded easily upward, and luckily the trail leveled out soon and we could both ease off the gas.

It was early enough in the day but also late enough that people were making their way up the path for a variety of reasons: Families marched along, stopping here and there to catch some breath and take in the tremendous views. Teens and pre-teens hurried along, hoping to secure a section of beach for the day, preferably with some nearby shade. Joggers and runners high-stepped along, trying to keep their heart rates in the optimal zone. And finally, our group — people with dogs out for a little exercise.

Journey was almost on sensory overload — too many kids, dogs and new smells to process and keep track of. We would pause here and there to take in the sights, with boats glancing off waves and swimmers immersing themselves in the lake below.

Luckily for me, Journey is not a swimmer, so we had no problem passing up the trails that headed down to any of the beaches below.

The Main Trail will not disappoint those seeking incredible views. And with a length of 2.4 miles, it’s advisable to stop and smell the North Idaho air every so often.

Journey took to the trail like a natural. He knew when to put the hammer down and climb the steeper sections and when to back off, and when we found some shade, stop entirely and rest.

Like I mentioned previously, the trail possesses some steep sections, but I’ve seen hikers of all ages and abilities out enjoying the trail. Remember — there’s no shame in stopping and turning back if you’re feeling overwhelmed. On the flip side, the trail has so much personality and scenic vistas most people barely notice the passage of time and miles.

Soon the trail rounded the end of Tubbs Hill, and the sun started hitting us from the side, and then mostly from the back and we neared Sanders Beach.

Around this time in the hike, the trail splits, with the Main Trail heading up a steep section, while the Upper Trail heads off to the right and finishes at the Eastside Trailhead. There is parking and a restroom there, if you don’t want to be bothered with the hustle and bustle near downtown.

But back to the crossroads. You can either stay on the Main Trail, which heads back to the trail entrance near Harbor House. If you take the Upper Trail, you get a nice level pathway that goes past the Eastside Trailhead, but leaves you to wander through a few blocks of houses to get back to McEuen Park.

Journey and I trudged up the Main Trail, which soon turns and goes back down into the shaded north end of the hill.

We waltzed back through McEuen Park and quenched our thirsts before heading home. We’d made it around the hill in roughly 45 minutes, not too bad considering all the pauses for traffic, resting and just taking it all in. As we cruised down Sherman and up Northwest Boulevard, Journey caught my eye and gave me a look, as if to say ‘Hey, let’s do that again tomorrow!’

Whoa, easy there, poochie. All good things in moderation.

When I got home, I took stock of the morning and realized the incredible amount of work it takes to maintain such an awesome public icon.

Keeping the hill in pristine shape and void of deterioration is the goal of the Tubbs Hill Foundation. The public is invited to support the preservation of the Hill by making a contribution to the nonprofit Tubbs Hill Foundation. For a contribution of $150 or greater, a name can be engraved on one of the monument rocks at either one of the trail entrances. The donor or memorial name (limit of 22 letters & spaces); contact name, address and telephone number; and a check for $150 or more should be sent to the Tubbs Hill Foundation, c/o Parks Department, 710 E. Mullan Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814. Donations to the Tubbs Hill Foundation are tax deductible.

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Jerry Hitchcock can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2017 or via email at jhitchcock@cdapress.com