International Selkirk Loop - Idaho
International Selkirk Loop - Idaho is an All-American Road in Idaho. Within Idaho it covers roughly 75 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along International Selkirk Loop - Idaho with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
International Selkirk Loop is a 280-mile scenic loop circling the Selkirk Mountains through Idaho, Washington, and British Columbia, with roughly 78 miles running through Idaho's northern panhandle. The full loop links two Idaho byways, the Wild Horse Trail Scenic Byway and the Panhandle Historic Rivers Passage, before crossing into Washington and then Canada, where the route includes the Kootenay Lake Ferry, billed as the longest free vehicle ferry in the world. The roughly 144-mile American portion, spanning Idaho and Washington, has been designated an All-American Road, the top tier of the national scenic byway program, in recognition of the mountain, forest, and lake scenery the loop strings together. Because part of the circuit crosses an international border, a passport is required to complete the full loop, and most travelers plan it as a multi-day trip rather than a single drive. In Idaho, the byway forms the gateway into the Selkirk Mountains before the route continues north toward Canada.
- ~78 mi of a 280-mi international loop
- Wild Horse Trail Scenic Byway
- Panhandle Historic Rivers Passage
- Kootenay Lake Ferry
- Selkirk Mountains
- All-American Road (US portion)
Designated for its historic and recreational qualities
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Places to stop along International Selkirk Loop - Idaho
Long Bridge
A two-mile bridge across Lake Pend Oreille into Sandpoint, with a separate walking and biking path beside the highway.
Sandpoint City Beach Park
A sandy lakefront park in downtown Sandpoint with swimming, a marina, and views of the Selkirks.
Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge
Wetlands and meadows along the Kootenai River near Bonners Ferry with an auto tour route, waterfowl, moose, and wintering eagles.
International Selkirk Loop Interpretive Center
An information stop in Bonners Ferry for the loop, which continues into British Columbia. Bring a passport.
Where to Stay along International Selkirk Loop - Idaho
5 campgrounds and RV parks sit within about 5 miles of International Selkirk Loop - Idaho.
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Photos of International Selkirk Loop - Idaho
What is an All-American Road?
All-American Roads are the top tier of America's National Scenic Byways. To earn the title a road has to be a destination in its own right — offering features so exceptional, across several intrinsic qualities (scenic, natural, historic, cultural, archaeological or recreational), that they can't be found anywhere else.