All first-time Priest Lake visitors should be aware of a "dangerous and extremely contagious disease" that infects most every person who spends more than just a few hours at the lake. The disease has no cure and its symptoms include talking to little purple berries, purple fingers and tongues, and even occasionally arm-wrestling a bear or two over temporary ownership of a patch of bushes in the forest. The disease is termed by the not so medically scientific name - "huckleberry mania". It is constant and persistent in the Priest Lake region. It is the lure of the mighty HUCKLEBERRY of the Selkirks!!  

The quest for this little jewel, which was recently designated as Idaho's official state fruit, is passed from generation to generation. Some make the trek into the woods and mountains for the sheer fun and satisfaction of boasting - "I picked a gallon in two hours! They are as big as your thumb and the bushes are just loaded!!" However, if you ask that person the exact location of the huckleberry patch, you are likely to receive a rather icy stare accompanied by the words, "Oh, I think it was yonder, on the south side of Thunder Mountain-or maybe it was the west side". However, most experienced pickers will share a bit more precise location information and may even guide you to their second favorite patch!
 
Others are beckoned by the call of the huckleberry because they are truly fond of the taste of the berries. They take great pride in serving them in luscious ways to guests who eagerly anticipate pancakes, entrees, desserts and drinks spiked with this delicious berry. Numerous huckleberry products are also available at retail outlets around the lake. Everything from pies, jams, candies, ice cream, and muffins to vinegars and more is available.
 
Great volumes of these little gems find their way into the mouths of humans and wildlife directly from the bush. Bears are especially dependent on the berries as a carbohydrate source to sustain them during hibernation. Accordingly, always be prepared to meet Madam Black Bear or Sir Grizzly when you are in huckleberry country. It doesn't occur often, but when it does, the wise picker always moves on to another location and allows the bear to feed without being disturbed.
 
There are three varieties of Huckleberries in the Priest Lake region; purple/black, red and blue. The purple/black variety ripens earliest, followed by the red, and finally the blue. The first two taste much alike, having a tart-sweet flavor. The blue variety is blander and tastes more like the domestic blueberry. Some hardcore huckleberry aficionados do not even consider the blue variety to be a huckleberry and refuse to pick them.
 
Normal picking periods begin around the 4th of July in lower areas and run through September in the higher elevations. However, the picking season can vary significantly depending on climatic conditions. The season can start as early as mid-June and last well into October in some years.
 
Whatever the reason, huckleberrying, like mushrooming, remains high on the "must do" list for both area residents and visitors. The lure beckons each new season with the same fervent interest from devotees, whose huckleberry stories are as truthful and colorful as the "honest fisherman's"!

Previous Page | Priest Lake Recreation Page