SHOSHONE COUNTY, Idaho-- People who live along the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River are fed up with the crowds.
Neighbors say the local hotspot is overrun with people, and they call it a dangerous situation.
The locals have known it for years, but now the word it out: the North Fork is perfect for rafting, and now, people are coming by the truck-full.
On weekends, visitors tend to park in the road around Bumblebee Bridge, blocking routes for homeowners and emergency vehicles.
Part of the fork is controlled by the Forest Service, and one ranger usually patrols that section. Cars do occasionally get towed there.
The Shoshone County Sherriff’s Office controls the other section with State Patrol. Neighbors say the jurisdictional issues are causing trouble.
One nearby homeowner said her husband is disabled and the crowds make it difficult for them to get around, even when they need to. Alcohol, heat and crowds combine into a dangerous, and sometimes deadly mix on the area.
“We’re getting a reputation of no enforcement. You can get away with anything up here,” Stacy Dechand, another homeowner, said.
KREM 2 contacted the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office, but has not heard back from deputies. People on the river say they do see rangers and deputies patrolling the area, but the locals want more.
