Orofino | Elk River | Pierce | Weippe | Kamiah
If year round outdoor recreation makes your heart sing, this is your place. The communities located along the Clearwater River and up on the prairies are steeped in history. There are many historical sites and locations that are sacred to the Nez Perce. Lewis and Clark traveled along this route more than 200 years ago.
The town of Kamiah nestles on the banks of the beautiful Clearwater River in a valley surrounded by scenic foothills. This town serves as a hub for some of the best hunting and fishing in the United States.
Kamiah is a unique blend of western, Victorian, and Nez Perce cultures. For centuries, Kamiah was the winter home of the native Nez Perce people. Their creation story takes place here at the Heart of the Monster.
Visitors will enjoy the laid-back lifestyle of Orofino, the rich culture, fantastic climate, and four seasons.
Orofino’s regional history follows Lewis and Clark, the early mining rushes (Orofino means "fine gold") and the great lumber industry. Surrounded by wilderness areas on three sides, this land is truly a haven for those who desire the great outdoors highlighted by spectacular steelhead fishing in the Clearwater River.
This area is home to the tallest bridge in Idaho (Dent Bridge over Dworshak Reservoir), the tallest straight-axis dam in the Western Hemisphere (Dworshak Dam), the tallest falls in Idaho (Elk Creek Falls), and the largest tree (Giant Cedar Grove).
Scenic byways link the towns of Orofino, Elk River, Pierce and Weippe. The Elk River Backcountry Byway runs between Orofino and Elk River on an off-the-beaten path scenic adventure. The route crosses Dworshak Reservoir and winds through the evergreen forests of the Clearwater Mountains to Elk River.
Elk River exudes small-town charm and is a wonderful place to hang out and explore Elk Creek Falls, the "Champion Tree of Idaho," and hit the miles of ATV and UTV trails. Nearby Elk Creek Reservoir provides the perfect opportunity to fish for rainbow trout. The Idaho Fish and Game stocks it with thousands spring through fall. You won't want to miss the opportunity to try huckleberries in any form you can find...pie, ice cream, shakes, candies, etc.
Winter Activities
Fishing
The Clearwater River is famous for steelhead and salmon fishing September through April. Trout, bass, catfish and other fish are plentiful here too. Fish with a guide or choose a spot along the shore to reel in some big ones.
Deer Creek Reservoir, near Pierce, provides an excellent opportunity to experience ice fishing for trout.
Fish the scenic Dworshak Reservoir year round for trout, Kokanee and bass.
Snowmobiling
Pierce, Weippe and the Elk River areas have over 500 miles of groomed trails for snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.
Downhill Skiing & Snowboarding
Snap on the skis and snowboard and pay a visit to Bald Mountain Ski Area (USA Today's Best Place to Snowboard in North America) near Pierce. Breathtaking views and terrain for every level of skier and snowboarder makes for affordable fun for the entire family.
Spring/Summer Activities
Fishing
Kelly Creek is a cutthroat trout paradise! Flowing into the North Fork of the Clearwater, it's one of Idaho's best-kept angling secret locations for superb fly fishing. Visit from the end of the spring runoff (mid-July) until the season closes at the end of November. Located about 80 miles northeast of Orofino or 50 miles from Pierce.
The Clearwater River is famous for steelhead and salmon fishing September through April. Trout, bass, catfish and other fish are plentiful here too. Fish with a guide or choose a spot along the shore to reel in some big ones.
Elk Creek, Deer Creek, and Deyo Reservoirs are perfect fishing spots for the entire family. The reservoirs are stocked with trout spring and fall.
Dworshak Reservoir (over 16,000 acres and 184 miles of shoreline) is the perfect place to stake out your own fishing corner AND have an easily accessible camp spot. It's regularly stocked with rainbow trout and you can fish for Kokanee Salmon year round. Small mouth bass is another popular species.
Scenic Drives
The Gold Rush Historic Byway begins in Greer about 8 miles southeast of Orofino. The climb up the grade provides a breathtaking view of the Clearwater Valley. The route rolls into the scenic Weippe Prairie where the members of the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery met the Nez Perce in 1805. Learn more about this historic event at the Weippe Discovery Center. Continuing on to Pierce, you'll find a logging museum and the state's inaugural government building, the Shoshone County Courthouse. Pierce is the gateway to the Clearwater National Forest with endless opportunities to fish, hike, ride ATV trails
The Elk River Backcountry Byway route from Bovill to Orofino, from either direction, can be characterized as an all natural, no frills, individualistic and unpretentious pathway through rural North Central Idaho. It is a 57-mile route to adventure, fun and relaxation for travelers.
Hiking, Camping, Boating, and ATV/Motorcycle Trail Rides
Centrally located to the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, there are literally hundreds of back country trails and logging roads that are waiting for you to explore.
Morris Cedar Grove is the home Idaho's largest tree. It's a Giant Western Red Cedar that's over 3000 years old, 18 feet in diameter and over 177 feet tall! It's filled with other giant cedars that are more than 500 years old. The trailhead is 30 minutes north of Elk River and is an easy 3/4 mile walk that will leave you amazed.
Elk Creek Falls is Idaho's tallest waterfall. Looped trails lead to three separate waterfalls with a pool that's perfect for a refreshing plunge.
Floating and Boating
The spectacular Dworshak Reservoir is filled with recreational opportunities. Hiking trails surround this massive reservoir with campgrounds and remote camp sites dotting the 184 miles of forested shoreline. It's a popular spot to hang out in the summer to tube, waterski, wakeboard, or wake surf. Canoes and kayaks meander near the shoreline while families splash at the beach at Dworshak State Park. Visit the nearby Dworshak Dam (the highest straight-axis gravity dam in North America) and adjacent Dworshak National Fish Hatchery (the largest steelhead trout hatchery in the world). You'll also want to take a drive across, or boat under, Dent Bridge, Idaho's tallest bridge.
Raft, float, and splash in the scenic Clearwater River. Following the Northwest Passage Scenic Byway, the mostly easy-flowing river is a perfect introduction to a family-friendly trip with plenty of sandy beaches along the way to stop, play, and picnic.
Museums and Historic Sites
Clearwater Historical Museum (Orofino) - The museum features artifacts relating to the Nez Perce people, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, gold mining, early homesteading, farming, and logging.
J. Howard Bradbury Logging Museum (Pierce) - Located in a 1928 log cabin, the J. Howard Bradbury Logging Museum is dedicated to preserving local mining and logging history as well as other artifacts.
Weippe Discovery Center (Weippe) - An interpretive facility that shares insight on the Lewis and Clark expedition and the time they spent in Idaho.
Nez Perce National Historical Park sites:
- Lenore - The nimíipuu (Nez Perce) established permanent village sites along major river corridors. This site contains evidence of early occupation by ancestral nimíipuu dating back about 8,500 years.
- Canoe Camp - the Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery learned from the nimíipuu (Nez Perce) to carve canoes to take them to the Pacific Ocean in 1805.
- Long Camp - Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery spent four weeks living among the nimíipuu while waiting for the snow to melt so they could make their return trip across the Bitterroot Mountains.
- Așa Smith Mission - Asa Smith took the first steps in saving the nimíipuu (Nez Perce) language by writing the first nimíipuu dictionary and grammar.
- Heart of the Monster - The location of the nimíipuu (Nez Perce) creation story.
- McBeth House - missionary teachers to the nimíipuu (Nez Perce) during the last quarter of the 19 th century
- Looking Glass Camp - During the flight of 1877, Chief Looking Glass and his men were attacked by the U.S. Cavalry, killing several Nez Perce and burning their village to the ground.
- Weippe Prairie - a traditional gathering place for the nimíipuu (Nez Perce) to dig for camas bulbs. It was also the first contact the Corps of Discovery had with the nimíipuu.
- Musselshell Meadow - Another location where the nimíipuu (Nez Perce) gathered camas bulbs.
- Pierce Courthouse - he namesake of the courthouse, Elias Pierce, discovered gold in the creeks above Orofino. It is the oldest public building in the state of Idaho.
Find Orofino/Pierce/Weippe/Kamiah Lodging
Events
February - Elk River Ice Fishing Derby | Pierce Winter Festival
May - Elk River ATV/UTV Fun Run & SLORA Boat Racing | Pierce/Weippe ATV Mother's Day Ride
June - Orofino Show-n-Shine | Clearwater River Rush Jet Boat Races | Elk River ATV/UTV Fun Run
July - Elk River Thunder in the Mountains | Orofino Fourth of July Festival | Kamiah's"Biggest Little Rodeo in Idaho"
August - Elk River Days | Elk River Music in the Mountains | Pierce 1860 Days | Bald Mountain Triathlon | Wild Weippe Days & Rodeo | Chief Lookingglass Powwow
September - Lumberjack Days & Clearwater County Fair | Kamiah BBQ Days
December - Lighted Christmas Parades