St. Maries Municipal Airport: North Idaho's Timber Country Aviation Hub
St. Maries Municipal Airport serves the city of St. Maries, Idaho, seat of Benewah County in the forested lake country of northern Idaho. Located at the confluence of the St. Maries and St. Joe Rivers, the airport provides general aviation access to a timber and outdoor recreation community that relies heavily on small airports given the region's limited road connectivity. The FAA Northwest Mountain Region oversees operations throughout northern Idaho, and the Idaho Transportation Department Aeronautics Division supports St. Maries as part of the state's northern Idaho municipal airport network.
The St. Maries area sits in a river valley surrounded by the forested ridges of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains, creating a scenic but terrain-aware flying environment. Pilots should be attentive to valley wind channeling effects and potential mountain obscuration during Pacific weather systems moving through northern Idaho. The nearby Lake Coeur d'Alene and the St. Joe River, considered the highest navigable river in the world, make St. Maries an attractive fly-in destination for pilots combining aviation with outstanding outdoor recreation in the Idaho Panhandle.
What outdoor activities make St. Maries an aviation destination?
The St. Joe River offers exceptional steelhead and cutthroat trout fishing. Lake Coeur d'Alene 30 miles north provides boating, resort amenities, and water sports. The surrounding Coeur d'Alene Mountains offer hiking, hunting, and snowmobiling in season.
What is the terrain like around St. Maries Municipal Airport?
The airport sits in the St. Maries River valley at approximately 2,700 feet MSL. Forested ridges rise to the south and east. Valley wind channeling and fog associated with river valleys are the primary weather considerations.
What commercial airports serve the St. Maries area?
Spokane International Airport (GEG) approximately 70 miles west and Coeur d'Alene Airport (COE) approximately 35 miles north provide the nearest commercial and instrument-approach-equipped general aviation services.
What is the timber industry's relationship to aviation in this area?
Northern Idaho's timber industry historically relied on small airports for fire-spotter aircraft, forest management personnel transport, and aerial survey operations. This legacy continues in the region's general aviation culture and infrastructure.
St Maries Municipal Airport Contact Information
Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in St Maries, Idaho.
| Name | St Maries Municipal Airport |
| Address | 2242 West Idaho Avenue, St. Maries ID 83861 Map |
| Phone | (208) 245-2561 |
| Website | |
| Hours |
Map of St Maries Municipal Airport
St. Maries, Idaho: Benewah County's River and Forest Destination
St. Maries occupies a scenic location at the confluence of the St. Maries and St. Joe Rivers in northern Idaho's forested lake country. The community of approximately 2,500 residents serves as Benewah County's seat and a service hub for surrounding timber and agriculture communities. The St. Joe River, flowing from the Bitterroot Mountains to Lake Coeur d'Alene, is renowned among fly fishers for its wild cutthroat trout population.
Visitors to St. Maries find genuine small-town Idaho hospitality alongside exceptional outdoor recreation. Heyburn State Park on Lake Chatcolet is Idaho's oldest state park, offering camping, boating, and wildlife viewing. The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, a 72-mile paved bicycle trail from Mullan to Plummer passing through St. Maries, is one of the premier cycling destinations in the Pacific Northwest. The Coeur d'Alene resort and Lake Coeur d'Alene's extensive marina facilities are within 35 miles to the north.