Hike the St. Paul's Mission and Kettle Falls Loop

Starting at the restored mission, this gentle trail ambles through pine tree stands, stopping to acknowledge the different points of interest along the way. Look out at the original location of the Fort Colville trading post, view the sleeping place of the Kettle Falls - inundated by Lake Roosevelt, and stop by the grave sites of the men and women that made the fort and mission their home during the 1800's.

The St. Paul's Mission is located just north of the town of Kettle Falls on the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. The mission was built in 1847, and was the center of Jesuit activity for the Indian tribes of the Upper Columbia. Near the mission were the Kettle Falls, one of the premiere salmon fisheries for area tribes. The falls were flooded when the Grand Coulee Dam was built, creating Lake Roosevelt. Some remnants of the falls can be seen during draw-down of the lake. The trail also provides views of the location of Fort Colville, the fur trading post for the area, also flooded by Lake Roosevelt.

The trail is short, less than a mile round trip, with minimal changes in elevation. An audio tour of the trail is available via smartphone, though on some days a guide from the interpretive center may be available.

The trailhead is located on St. Paul's Mission Road, heading north it is the last road on the right before crossing the bridge. The Kettle Falls Historical Center is located on the same road, which you will pass on your way to the trailhead.