COEUR d'ALENE - Chic Burge is rarely indoors.

The 65-year-old photographer spends most of his time on the hiking, biking and cross-country ski trails that crisscross the Inland Northwest. Just about every day, he grabs his camera and goes adventuring.

"That's all I do," said Burge, who lives on Harbor Island on the Spokane River. "Exercise is what we all need, more than anything in life."

After traipsing through wilderness for many years, Burge knows all the best hiking destinations in North Idaho and eastern Washington. He has rambled along mountain ridgelines, explored alpine lakes and trekked through quiet forests.

Whether short, easy day hikes or extended backcountry trips, Burge has just about seen it all.

On Tuesday, he shared some of his favorite local hiking spots.

Chilco Mountain

Not far from Sandpoint, this trail offers great vistas of Lake Pend Oreille, the vast Cabinet Mountains and - on the clearest days - the Selkirks.

Winding through scenic North Idaho Terrain, the route is perfect for day hikers.

"It's a 2.5-mile hike," Burge said. "Takes you to a mountaintop that gives you incredible views."

Canfield Mountain

A popular mountain biking area, this wooded promontory on the outskirts of Coeur d'Alene is a good place for hikers to stretch their legs, too.

Burge suggested a little-known trail that leads up the northwest ridge: take 15th Street north to Lookout Drive, turn onto Packsaddle Drive and then Crestwood Court. The trail starts near a private gate north of the pump station.

"It's dedicated to hikers only," Burge said. "You have spectacular views looking south down Coeur d'Alene, and west, you have the entire Rathdrum/Spokane aquifer."

Crystal Lake

East of Coeur d'Alene, the Crystal Lake trail begins near Cataldo. Head up Latour Creek Road toward the Rochat Divide. When you hit Sheep Springs Campground, look for the trailhead.

It's about one and a half miles to Crystal Lake on a pleasant trail. Beautiful all year-round, but especially striking in autumn.

"The fall colors there are some of the best close to us, and it's a really cool lake," Burge said.

Hikers can find scenic views from atop the ridgeline - Coeur d'Alene to the west, Silver Mountain to the east. For venturesome anglers, there's plenty of fish in the lake, too.

"Just a very cool place," Burge said.

Iller Creek

Near Spokane, this lengthier hike leads to the imposing Rocks of Sharon. The trailhead is near the south end of Tower Mountain, along Holman Road. Following Iller Creek, the route climbs high above the countryside.

Hikers are rewarded with panoramas of the Palouse and Spokane Valley.

"You get up on top, (and) there's all these huge rocks to climb and play on," Burge said.

The entire route is about eight miles round-trip.

Trail 257 - Beauty Bay/Mt. Coeur d'Alene

Mineral Ridge isn't the only scenic trail in the Beauty Bay area. Up pothole-ridden Beauty Creek Road, beyond the campground and Caribou Ridge trailhead, another single-track winds into the woods: Trail 257.

"It's just a nice through-the-forest hike," Burge said. "On a hot day it's usually pretty cool."

Climb to the summit for a vista of Coeur d'Alene. The trail is in better shape than Caribou Ridge, Burge said. It's also less crowded. The total distance is just over 11 miles.

The list goes on, of course. The Inland Northwest is a hiker's paradise, with swaths of wild country right out the back door.

Journey north, south, east or west, and the scenic destinations only multiply. Burge's top long-distance trip is Leigh Lake, on the east side of the Cabinet Mountains.

Rugged and remote, the lake is bordered by a 3,000-foot granite wall. Dozens of waterfalls cascade down its precipitous face.

To get there, Burge said, hikers venture along a 1.5-mile trail that rises 900 vertical feet.

"It is the highest lake, the largest lake, and easily the most spectacular lake in the Cabinets," he added. "It's just so spectacular."

But right now, the best hiking in the region might be at Mount Spokane. Because of prolific snowfall this winter, spring was late-arriving on the mountain's high slopes, and the wildflowers are in full bloom.

"It's probably the best I've seen it in several years," Burge said.

The experienced outdoorsman reminded hikers to always bring along the 13 essentials: map, compass, flashlight or headlamp, fire starter, waterproof matches or lighters, extra clothes, extra food, knife, sun protection, first aid kit, signaling device (whistle, flare or mirror), emergency shelter and a trowel.