The North Fork of the Clearwater River's headwaters rise in the Bitterroot Mountains on the border of Idaho and Montana on the south flank of the triple summits of Graves Peak, Illinois Peak and Gold Crown Peak. It flows through a narrow gorge and is joined by numerous creeks along its path to its confluence to the mainstem Clearwater, including its largest tributary Kelly Creek. It is paralleled for part of its journey by Forest Service Road #250.

After winding for many miles, it flows into Dworshak Reservoir with high buttes to the north and gradual mountains on the south picking up more creeks along the way as it branches out. The reservoir ends at Dworshak Dam, but the North Fork continues its flow briefly below the powerhouse before entering the mainstem Clearwater River at Ahsahka.

Its watershed covers 2,472 square miles of land in North Central Idaho, about 26.6 percent of the Clearwater River's watershed. Average stream flow is 5,200 cubic feet per second, but varies widely with the seasons before it flows into Dworshak, according to Wikipedia.

The North Fork has had many uses over the years. Before the building of Dworshak Dam, it was a spawning ground for the might B-run steelhead as they returned after spending two years away in the Pacific Ocean. Now millions of steelhead are raised at the Dworshak National Fish Hatchery near the North Fork's confluence with the mainstem Clearwater. Anglers from all over the world come to try their hand at catching these mighty anadromous fish. Native fish still spawn in the mainstem.

There are numerous archaeological sites (some now underwater) that speak to past inhabitants such as the Nez Perce, early settlers and their homesteads and the logging industry. Now in Dworshak Reservoir people recreate in various ways from boating, to angling and swimming to just relaxing on a destination dock or a mini campsite.

If you haven't done so already, stop by the Dworshak Dam Visitor Center to learn more.

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