September Boating in Northern Idaho: The Best-Kept Secret on the Lake

If you think boating season starts winding down after Labor Day, think again. September might just be Northern Idaho’s best-kept boating secret.

By the time September rolls around, kids are heading back to school, summer visitors are heading home, and many seasonal residents have already started storing their boats for the year. The lakes get noticeably quieter, but the weather can still feel a whole lot like summer.

Early September often brings temperatures in the upper 70s to low 80s, with highs around 79–84 degrees. Even later in the month, we can still see plenty of beautiful days in the upper 60s and 70s.

Add in fewer crowds, calmer water, changing fall colors, and waterfront restaurants that are still open, and September starts looking like one of the best months of the year to be on the water.

Fewer Crowds, More Time on the Water

One of the biggest perks of September boating is simple: the lake gets quiet again.

Many seasonal residents who spend their summers at second homes begin storing their boats as early as late July. Once September arrives and families settle back into school, work, and fall routines, lake traffic thins out even more.

For those who keep their boats in the water, that means more room to enjoy it.Fewer boats can mean calmer water, less congestion at the launches, and more space to cruise, surf, wakeboard, or simply enjoy an afternoon on the lake.

There’s something pretty special about heading out on a beautiful September day and feeling like you have the lake almost to yourself. 

Don't Put the Surfboard Away Yet

September isn't just great for cruising , it can also be one of the best times to squeeze in a few more days of watersports.

With fewer boats on the water, glassy mornings, there’s more room to surf, wakeboard, ski, and work on those tricks you’ve been trying to land all summer.

Of course, while the air can still feel like summer, the water starts cooling down as the month goes on. Throw on a wetsuit, though, and you can comfortably extend your surf season even further.

Calmer water, lighter boat traffic, and plenty of beautiful days? There’s no reason to put the board away just yet.

See Northern Idaho's Fall Colors From the Water

One of my favorite things about boating in September is watching Northern Idaho slowly transition into fall.

As the leaves begin to change, the shorelines start taking on those beautiful fall colors we wait all year to see. And seeing them from the water gives you a completely different perspective.

Instead of the busyness of peak summer, September boating feels a little slower and more peaceful. It’s the perfect excuse to grab a sweatshirt, take an evening cruise, and enjoy just how beautiful North Idaho is this time of year.

Your Favorite Lakefront Stops Aren't Done Yet

Another reason to keep the boat in the water a little longer? You don't have to give up your favorite lakefront dining spots just because summer is winding down.

Several popular restaurants around Northern Idaho's lakes continue serving guests well into September and fall, making it easy to turn a day on the water into dinner on the water.

A few spots to add to your fall boating plans include:

• The Boathouse on Hayden Lake — Open through September
• The Dish at Dover Bay — Serving dinner through September
• The Float House on Lake Pend Oreille — Open 7 days a week in the fall
• Pearls on the Lake on Lake Pend Oreille — Open through September 20
• The Buoy on Lake Coeur d'Alene — Open through October
• Tony's on the Lake — Continues serving dinner through the fall
• Le Peep & La Terraza on the Spokane River — Open through the fall

So pack a cooler, grab a sweatshirt for when the sun goes down, and make a day of it. You don't have to give up those boat-to-dinner evenings just because August is over!

Why September Might Be the Best Time to Boat

Honestly, September gives you a little bit of everything we love about summer boating - without quite as much of the summer craziness.

You get:

• Fewer boats and less lake traffic
• Calmer water for surfing and watersports
• Less congestion and waiting around at the launches
• Plenty of warm, sunny days
• The beginning of Northern Idaho's fall colors
• Waterfront restaurants that are still open
• More peaceful days to simply enjoy the lake

The summer crowds may be gone, but that doesn't mean boating season has to be.

Keep Boating a Little Longer

Before you winterize the boat and call it a season, give September a chance.Some of the best boating days of the year can happen after Labor Day. The weather is still beautiful, the water is calmer, the crowds have thinned out, and fall is just beginning to show off along the shoreline.

September really might be Northern Idaho's best-kept boating secret.

So don't rush to put the boat away. Grab your family or a few friends, throw an extra sweatshirt onboard, pack the wetsuit, and enjoy a few more weeks on the lake!