Gateway to summer fun in Athol
In previous installments of our “Live Near the Fun” summer series, Neighborhood of the Week looked at homes and condos near downtown Coeur d’Alene and along the Spokane River near Q’emiln Park in Post Falls.
Now we’re headed a little north to Athol. Population: Just under 700. Blink and you’ll miss it.
Don’t let its size fool you. This little town north of Coeur d’Alene on Highway 95 sits between two of North Idaho’s most popular destinations. It’s about 4 miles north of Silverwood Theme Park via Highway 95. Also from Athol, head east about 4 miles on Highway 53 and you’ve made it to Farragut State Park.
Take Lake Coeur d’Alene out of the equation, and you could make the argument that Athol, not Coeur d’Alene, is the premiere tourist destination of the Inland Northwest. Or we can just make everybody happy and say it’s all North Idaho.
It’s not just tourists enjoying Silverwood and Farragut. In the summertime, my family spends quite a bit of time out here. OK, we spend more time at Silverwood, but that’s only because of water slides, kiddie coasters and numerous other rides that appeal more to my kids at this moment than the more natural wonders of Farragut State Park and Lake Pend Oreille. Sorry, nature.
The kids will get older and eventually (hopefully) come to love the offerings at Farragut as well, which include hiking and mountain bike trails, numerous camping opportunities, lakefront exploring, disc golf course and even a tree-to-tree adventure course.
OK, so it’s a great place to visit. Can you actually live there?
Many of the active listings in the area are lots — if you’re looking for property, seclusion and the chance to build a home the way you want it, there are some options here. Listings include a 5-acre lot with multiple building site options priced at $70,000. Another lot with more than 4.5 acres which already includes established water, power and sewer is priced at $139,000.
There are less expensive lot options too, ranging from as little as $42,000 to $70,000 for area ranging from 5-10 acres. More development work will be needed in many of those offerings.
If you don’t want to bother with the development, then you can also find some beautiful and secluded existing homes. Three different options priced between $530,000 and $560,000, provide 3-4 bedroom homes, expansive shop structures and acreage. For people with a little more cash in their pockets, you can also get into a couple of immaculate four-bedroom homes with near 3,000 square feet and lots of developed property — priced around $800,000 and $1 million, respectively. Don’t forget to factor in about $100 bucks a year per person for those Silverwood season passes. It’s important to budget.
There are a couple of older, more modest-sized homes priced in the $200,000s closer to town. On your way to Farragut near the Super 1 Foods store, you’ll also discover quite a bit of new development underway, some commercial but also seemingly some residential options in the near future. Head out and take a look.
Visit https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/farragut for more information on Farragut State Park, and www.SilverwoodThemePark.com for more on Silverwood and Boulder Beach Waterpark.
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Let us know about more standout neighborhoods and developments that we may feature in an upcoming Neighborhood of the Week. Contact Tyler Wilson at twilson@cdapress.com.
Real Estate Agents, take advantage of Neighborhood of the Week by sending in your suggestions for featured areas, including sites outside the normal confines of Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and Hayden.