Benewah County Airport: Public Aviation Serving Idaho's Northern Timber Country
Benewah County Airport serves the St. Maries, Idaho area as a general aviation facility providing public air access to Benewah County in northern Idaho's forested Panhandle region. The airport gives the county a public aviation option supporting timber industry transportation, emergency services, agricultural operators, and recreational pilots drawn to the outstanding fishing and hunting in the surrounding Coeur d'Alene Mountains and river valleys. The Idaho Transportation Department Aeronautics Division supports Benewah County Airport as part of the state's northern Idaho municipal airport infrastructure.
The airport's location in the St. Maries River valley creates a terrain-aware flying environment, with forested ridges surrounding the valley requiring pilots to plan carefully for obstacle clearance during approaches and departures. The FAA Northwest Mountain Region's oversight framework for northern Idaho airports emphasizes mountain flying safety, and pilots new to the area should study the local sectional chart thoroughly and consider obtaining local area familiarization from experienced Panhandle pilots before flying the region independently.
What services does Benewah County Airport provide?
The airport provides general aviation facilities for Benewah County including runway access, basic services, and a public landing area for transient pilots. Contact the county for current fuel availability and operational hours.
What industries use Benewah County Airport?
Timber industry transportation, forest management personnel, aerial fire detection, agricultural operations, and recreational flying for hunters and fishers accessing the surrounding Coeur d'Alene Mountain country.
What are the nearest larger airports to Benewah County?
Coeur d'Alene Airport (COE) approximately 35 miles north and Spokane International (GEG) approximately 70 miles west provide the nearest instrument approach-equipped and commercial aviation facilities.
What fishing draws pilots to the St. Maries area?
The St. Joe River is one of Idaho's premier fly fishing streams, known for wild cutthroat trout and steelhead. Its accessibility from the airport makes St. Maries a genuine fly-in fishing destination for pilots from throughout the Northwest.
Benewah County Airport Contact Information
Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in St Maries, Idaho.
| Name | Benewah County Airport |
| Address | 10 Milwaukee Road, St. Maries ID 83861 Map |
| Phone | (208) 245-2239 |
| Website | |
| Hours |
Map of Benewah County Airport
Benewah County, Idaho: Forested River Country of the Northern Panhandle
Benewah County occupies the forested river country of Idaho's central Panhandle, where the St. Maries, St. Joe, and Palouse Rivers drain the Coeur d'Alene and Bitterroot Mountains toward Lake Coeur d'Alene. St. Maries serves as the county seat for a population of approximately 9,000 scattered across timber towns, farming communities, and the Coeur d'Alene Tribe's reservation lands centered at Plummer.
Outdoor recreation is the cornerstone of Benewah County's visitor economy, with hunting, fishing, hiking, and snowmobiling drawing guests year-round. Heyburn State Park on Lake Chatcolet, Idaho's oldest state park established in 1908, offers camping and water recreation on a beautiful stretch of Lake Coeur d'Alene's southern arm. The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, a 72-mile paved cycling trail passing through Plummer and St. Maries, provides a world-class non-motorized recreation corridor through the heart of the county.