Besides being one of the nation's premier elk-hunting areas, the St. Maries area offers much more. The St. Maries, St. Joe, Coeur d'Alene and Spokane rivers combine with Lake Coeur d'Alene (pronounced CORE-DA-LANE) to provide one of the finest boating opportunities available anywhere.

The fact that this vast water system is set in some of the country's most beautiful scenery makes this system unparalleled. Idaho's largest state park, Heyburn, on the southern end of Lake Coeur d'Alene, is only six miles from the city limits. Heyburn includes three lakes interconnected by the St. Joe River, the highest navigable river in the world.

Recognizing the abundance of this area's resources, the Forest Service has invested in improving its recreation sites and campgrounds in the St. Joe River area. The National Forest offers several hundred miles of hiking trails. Historic Marble Creek highlights early 1900s logging camps, steam donkeys and railroad trestles. Rock-hounds can dig for the Star Garnet, found only in Idaho and India.

Adult recreation leagues, including a softball complex owned by the adult softball association, complement other recreation activities. The city's challenging, panoramic 9-hole golf course is on par with any fine golf course anywhere. The city's parks and tennis courts complement the local bowling alley to provide residents with complete recreational facilities.