Centennial Trail deserves support; annual meeting Thursday

Most of us may not realize it, but one of this area's greatest gifts is free and it's right outside our front doors: The North Idaho Centennial Trail.

It is there year-round, a well-maintained, picture-perfect paved path that runs next to Lake Coeur d'Alene and the Spokane River. It passes through parks and neighborhoods. It passes by The Coeur d'Alene Resort and North Idaho College. 

Runners and walkers use it. Cyclists and skateboarders do, too. Young and old enjoy evening strolls on it. Ironman participants train on it. Eagle watchers flock to it at Higgens Point.

The 35-year-old trail, which cost $5 million in 1990, benefits us physically, mentally and emotionally. It is constant. In 2023, its name was in lights on the North Idaho Centennial Bridge. You can count on it. It connects this community. 

There is something very special about the North Idaho Centennial Trail. It inspires people to get up and get out there. It doesn't matter the season; it encourages us to be outside, admiring the beauty of this place we call home. Wonderful adventures await on the trail. It's hard to beat a walk on the trail while watching the setting sun cast its glow across Lake Coeur d'Alene. 

And it is free. It costs you nothing to follow it.

We should be grateful for the North Idaho Centennial Trail. 

Let's not take it for granted.

Thursday, the North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation will hold its annual meeting at 5:30 p.m. at Vantage Point Brewery. We encourage the public to attend and hear from the foundation's board and leaders about what's happening with the 23-mile trail that runs from the Idaho/Washington state line to Higgens Point at the end of Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive. 

You might even meet Doug Eastwood, whose excellent book, “The North Idaho Centennial Trail: The Trail That Almost Wasn’t," benefits the foundation. It's a chance to be around like-minded people who have a passion for recreation and share a love of the trail.

If you're wondering, the nonprofit foundation assists with maintenance and capital improvements to the Centennial Trail and supports the development of new trails in Kootenai County. The 700-member foundation has three primary annual fundraisers: The Coeur d'Alene Marathon in May, Ales for the Trail in August and Coeur d'Fondo in September.

An easy way to support the foundation is to become a member. You can become a Friend of the Trail for $60, which comes out to $5 a month. That's a great investment, no matter how you look at it. When you consider that hundreds of thousands of people will use the trail and it has an estimated economic impact of more than $3 million, it's a no-brainer.

If you need even more motivation to attend this annual meeting, here it is: each adult who attends can receive one free beer. We recommend the Centennial Trail Pale Ale.