old mission state park

This is a lovely historical spot, you can feel the history. It was a easy bike ride from the campground and main cycling route. Well worth the detour. Most the buildings have been reconditioned from run down to as historically accurate as possible. Signage around the grounds helped us glimpse into the past. Note the river below where we would continue to ride. Very nice spot and no charge for people who arrive by bike.

We were greeted warmly and allowed to view the mission at our own speed. Because we are both disabled we were very pleased when we were encouraged to drive up to a small parking area just below the mission buildings so we still had the strength to look around in the church and the mission house. There were recordings in many different places that explained how things had been done in when the mission was in use. I had learned about the mission as a child and was so glad that it was still there for me to visit as an adult. The grounds are beautiful and the access from the freeway was simple. I recommend a visit to the mission to anyone who can get that far north in Idaho.

We have drove by this several times and yesterday we finally decided to stop and check it out. For $15 we got into a small museum that had artifacts on loan from the Smithsonian and it let us onto the grounds. We learned a lot about Native Americans who lived in the area. There are small cemetery's on the land. A beautiful old church and house. They have it set up with educational recordings to hear Native Americans talk about what the remember and how things were built. It truly is worth the $15 to visit it all, but for only $5 you can tour the grounds. It takes an hour to see everything, maybe a little longer. If you have time it is well worth stopping.

I had planned to stop here long enough to enjoy my picnic lunch, but was so impressed with the park I spent all afternoon here. Located just off I-90 at exit 39, the entrance fee is $5 per car and an additional $5 per person or $10 per family to visit the Smithsonian quality museum. The visitor center is free and has a 20 minute video that is worth seeing. The Greek Revival Style mission itself sits on a grassy knoll behind the Visitor Center and is impressive, but it is the interior that is really amazing. Guests with trouble walking who have a handicapped sticker can drive right up to the mission and there is a manual lift on the right side of the building so you do not have to climb the stairs. Once inside the craftsmanship is remarkable. The altar looks like it is marble, but closer inspection reveals it is wooden and simply painted to look like marble. Likewise the chandeliers look like they are cast iron but they are expertly crafted tin.Besides the mission which is a MUST SEE and the visitor center, the park also offers self-guiding interpretive trails, hiking (the park serves as the headquarters for the State portion of the Trail of the Couer d' Alene's), biking, birding, picnicking in the beautifully landscaped, tree shaded area, and the 5000 sq. ft. Museum with the Sacred Encounters exhibit telling the story of Father de Smet and the Indians of the Rocky Mountain West (this is the part for which the extra admission fee applies).There is so much to see and so much history, that there will be something for each guest to enjoy. There is no food available in the park so keep that in mind when you plan your visit. Pets on a leash are allowed and the parking lot at the visitor center has ample parking for over sized vehicles.

Stop by at end of day in April. Only one other car in whole place. Nice grounds to walk around after all day in car. Mission building is worth the stop to take a look at. Good to see they have kept building. It was interesting to walk around inside. Take the time to look at everything.

I was surprised & interested to find out that the Mission here in Cataldo is the oldest building in Idaho. I loved the interesting architecture so different than I expected. Amazing place!We've been here several times but we were blown away by the beauty found here in the fall. We walked around the grounds enjoying the colorful trees. So pretty!

This was an interesting place to see. You think of Spanish missions in California, not Idaho, and this is the oldest building in Idaho. It was $5 to park, and we were able to easily park our travel trailer. We watched a 10 minute video about the Mission and its history and then took a short walk to the Mission. It was a beautiful building and you can tour the caretaker's house next door. The caretaker's house was interesting as it was set up in 19th century fashion. You may only spend 30-45 minutes here, but it's easy access from the interstate and my teenagers enjoyed the visit.

From I-90 the mission is to your right of the freeway. It is an old Spanish mission and well worth seeing. Turn left (going S on I-90) and you come to the Snake Pit, an old restaurant that used to be a house of ill repute. Very interesting décor and a reminder where we were 100 years ago. The food is simple but good. The area is also a good starting point for The bicycle trail that goes for miles in either direction.

We stopped by here while we were in the area to bike the Trail of the Coeur d'Alene. The lady at the counter was friendly, from the area, very informative and helpful. The Mission is interesting though the audio texts weren't all working. The alter was fascinating because it was original to the mission and hand built. The walls had what appeared to be the original cloth covered by lucite to keep them from degrading any more with the passage of time. There was some interesting history about the Jesuits who lived there. Lots of rules for them to follow. We enjoyed a nice walk around the grounds. There is a museum there for an extra charge.

Caught my eye driving on east I 90. I pulled in, paid $5 for parking. Took several great pics of the church, as well as grounds. The visitors center nice, staff friendly and enjoyed talking about the church. I noticed info on weddings or other events there. Definitely a great environment for special occasions.

My mom, friend, and I came here while on vacation. I have actually been to other missions and this was one of the better ones because lots of info is available about the location. You do have to pay for parking and pay to go into the museum in the visitor centre. Paying for the parking was worth it, but I wasn't that into the museum. The video which was free pretty much summarizes everything in the museum. It was neat to look at the old buildings and imagine the history. The staff were pretty friendly as well.

Our photo group of 37 stopped here to enjoy the beautiful grounds and listen to a priest (park ranger in costume) describe how the building was constructed. This really added to the history and importance of this structure and the adjacent house. Photos are allowed throughout. Our ranger was very animated and it was like stepping back in time to hear his narration. There is a bit of a walk up the hill but vehicles can drive to the top for those who cannot walk the distance. The grounds are lush and well maintained. There is a visitor center with nice facilities at the lower level. We had time to explore on our own in the mission and adjacent living quarters. Definitely worth a stop.

Built as a Mission to convert and serve the Indians of the territory the place is now a State Park. It is still in use for certain religious celebrations. The place is actually still owned by the church, but it's operated as a State Park by the Park Dept. It's interesting to see and appreciate the impact on the population as Western expansion came to the area. There's the Church, the Clergy residence, a Visitor's Center with a Museum & a Video. A pleasant stop on the highway for a respite from a long drive.

This site had it all: helpful customer service, various structures to visit on the site, walking area for people and pets, and a fabulous museum. The site is self paced and easy to visit, with just enough information to allow you to guide yourself. The real asset is the museum, which tells a complex history of Jesuit theology within Catholicism, Native American ideas about spirituality, their encounter in the early 19th century, its effects on Catholic and traditional practices, the American context and history, ethnographic artifacts, and how life is lived now. It was beautiful rich without becoming too complex, and was fair to all. Very well done. I'd go back.

a little piece of Idaho's History the Old Mission State Park surrounds the Cataldo Mission which is the oldest building in the state of Idaho. Founded by Father Cataldo back in the olden days it was the first mission in the whole of North Idaho. The Mission building is open to the public for a small fee and there is also a nice museum next to the mission and day picnic area. Back in the 1800s river boats used to travel up the river from the lake to bring food and visitors to the mission. If you are traveling through north Idaho on I 90 this is a nice educational stop for a break.