Lake Koocanusa Scenic Byway
Libby, Lincoln County, Montana. Scenic highway; Open year-round.
Details
- Where
- Libby, Lincoln County, MT. No street address stated. Directions
- Getting there
- To reach the Lake Koocanusa Scenic Byway (State Highway 37), take either U.S. Highway 2 to Libby or U.S. Highway 93 to Eureka.
- Access
- The byway also includes a side loop (Forest Development Road No. 228) around the west side of the lake, a more leisurely, two-lane, paved route that is closed in winter.
- Phone
- 406-293-7773
- Website
- fs.usda.gov
- Managed by
- Kootenai National Forest.
- Established
- 1992.
A scenic byway that follows the Kootenai River and Lake Koocanusa between Libby and Eureka, Montana, open year-round. Created in 1992 as the Northern Region's 5th scenic byway.
Notable Events
- 1966Twelve men lost their lives during construction of the dam, between 1966 and 1972; a memorial plaque was unveiled at the 50th commemoration. dvidshub.net
- 1966Beginning in 1966, some 2,000 workers with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers came to northwest Montana to build a dam 422 feet tall and 3,055 feet long. flatheadbeacon.com
- 1972Lake Koocanusa was completed in 1972 as a joint project between the United States and Canada to provide flood protection and generate hydroelectric power. libbymt.com
- 1974Lake Koocanusa was formed behind Libby Dam that was completed in 1974. fs.usda.gov
- 1975On Aug. 24, 1975, some 3,000 people, including the President of the United States, gathered north of Libby for the dedication of the newly constructed Libby Dam. flatheadbeacon.com
- 1992Lake Koocanusa Scenic Byway was created in 1992 to become the Northern Region's 5th scenic byway. fs.usda.gov
People
- Alice Beers, from Rexford, Montana; named Lake Koocanusa in the reservoir-naming contest.