Clearwater County, Idaho
| Clearwater County, Idaho | ||
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 Location in the U.S. state of Idaho |
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 Idaho's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | February 27, 1911 | |
| Named for | Clearwater River | |
| Seat | Orofino | |
| Largest city | Orofino | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 2,488 sq mi (6,444 km2) | |
| • Land | 2,457 sq mi (6,364 km2) | |
| • Water | 31 sq mi (80 km2), 1.2% | |
| Population | ||
| • (2010) | 8,761 | |
| • Density | 3.6/sq mi (1/km²) | |
| Congressional district | 1st | |
| Time zone | Pacific: UTC-8/-7 | |
| Website | www |
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Clearwater County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 census, the population was 8,761. The county seat is Orofino. Established in 1911, the county was named after the Clearwater River.
The county is home to North Fork of the Clearwater River, and a small portion of the South Fork and the main Clearwater. Also in the county are the Dworshak Reservoir, Dworshak State Park, Dworshak National Fish Hatchery, and the Dworshak Dam, third highest dam in the U.S. The modest Bald Mountain ski area is located between Orofino and Pierce.
The Clearwater River and Lolo Pass, in the southeast corner of the county, were made famous by the exploration of Lewis and Clark in the early 19th century. Following an arduous trek through the Bitterroot Mountains, suffering through a mid-September snowstorm and near starvation, the Corps of Discovery expedition camped with the Nez Perce tribe on the Weippe Prairie outside of present-day Weippe in 1805. With the assistance of the Nez Perce, the expedition recuperated and constructed burned-out canoes at Canoe Camp in October 1805 and then paddled down the Clearwater, Snake, and Columbia rivers and met the Pacific Ocean a month later at present-day Astoria, Oregon.
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