Fishing on the Clearwater and Dworshak
Blog
Largest Steelhead Run Since 2010
Did you know the Clearwater Tribune posted an article in September predicting around 40,000 hatchery steelhead will be bound for the Clearwater River? Come stay at the High Country Inn to take advantage of this historic run!
Boating and Swimming
Sports Fishing
Fishing is the “Go To” Activity on the Clearwater River as well as on the Dworshak Reservoir!
Whether it’s guided or on your own, fishing is lively in Clearwater Valley! Take your pick; be it rainbow trout, small mouth bass, steelhead trout, or Chinook salmon, these fish can all be found on the Clearwater River. Then there’s fishing from the road at the bottom of Dworshak Dam, where anglers line up for their spot to fish without a boat If you have either a trolling or a bigger and faster boat, you’ve got 55 miles of beautiful lake to fish in, launching from any of several areas on the reservoir, from Bruce’s Eddy, Big Eddy, Freeman Creek, or Canyon Creek.
Dworshak Reservoir is gaining the reputation of being the spot to catch the greatest small mouth bass around, and a huge quantity of the prized land-locked salmon, the Kokanee
Guided fishing is readily available to fish both the Clearwater as well as Dworshak Dam, if you don’t have your own boat, so there’s no excuse to miss out on a wonderful adventure!
The High Country Inn is located less than ten minutes from either the river or the reservoir, and offers the most comfortable lodging, delicious meals, ample parking space for boats, and most important, the friendliest hospitality. A home-cooked breakfast is part of the nightly rate, and dinners and packed lunches can also be ordered. A fine selection of beer and wine is available, also.
Despite lockdowns and social distancing, winter fishing on the Clearwater is just as popular as always. Whether it is for a few days or longer, we are taking all the necessary precautions to make sure our guests can still go out and get some fish. Here are just a few of our guests from Seattle, who recently joined us and the fish that they managed to catch and take home with them.
Nez Perce National Historical Park and Visitor Center
Hi all,
Today we have a recommendation for our “Things To Do” section of the blog from a past visitor here at the inn. Two guests took a short drive to the Nez Perce National Historical Park and Visitor Center and here’s what they had to say….
For a change of venue from all the wonderful nature surrounding The High Country Inn, plan a visit to Nez Perce National Historical Park and Visitor Center. If you are interested in Native American history, you are surrounded by it here.
(Photo courtesy of: National Park Services from: https://www.nps.gov/nepe/planyourvisit/nez-perce-nhp-visitor-center.htm)
It is a 30 – 40 minute drive west on Route 12 along the Clearwater River to South Route 95. Then watch for the signs for the Nez Perce park and visitor center. The Nez Perce people lived in the area and have left many historic sites. Start with the Visitor Center. It contains a lot of history about the Nez Perce including many artifacts and should raise your curiosity to learn more about the area’s Native American people. You can walk around the park to see a number of other places of interest. See www.nps.gov/nepe for all the points of interest in the Nez Perce National Historical Park. Then throw in a little Lewis and Clark exploration, and you can spend a day or more watching history unfold before your eyes.
Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
– Mike and Debbie
(Photo at top courtesy of: Bran Stinson on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/95416093@N06/34469993056/)
Dworshak Dam and Visitor Center
Hi all,
Today we have a recommendation for our “Things To Do” section of the blog from a past visitor here at the inn. Two guests took a very short (5 minute) drive to the Dworshak Dam and Visitor Center just up the road from the inn and here’s what they had to say….
For a short 2 to 3 hour outing close to The High Country Inn, consider visiting the Dworshak Dam and Visitor Center in Ahsahka. The dam is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is the highest straight-axis, concrete gravity dam in North America. Daily tours of the dam are offered 7 days a week during the summer. During the rest of the year, the center is open 5 days a week, and tours can be arranged.
We really enjoyed the 3 floors of exhibits about the operation of the dam and the history and culture of the area. There was a theater that played videos about the construction of the dam as well as the history of log drives in the area and the Lewis and Clark Expedition that went through this area. We also were able to spot out the Visitor Center Mountain Lion that was found by Dick Moore, co-founder of The High Country Inn.
Make sure that you have a moment to check out the Mountain Lion when you visit. It was definitely a great way to spend the afternoon. Plus the view from on top of the dam is one that you do not want to miss!
Hope you find a moment to go learn some history about the dam and surrounding area the next time you are in town.
– Mike and Debbie
Dworshak Fishing
A major attraction for avid anglers is the abundance of fishing opportunities on nearby Dworshak Lake, the 55-mile-long reservoir for Dworshak Dam.
Although the lake has for many years had a great reputation for kokanee and rainbow trout fishing, these last few years have seen a steady growth in the numbers of the smallmouth bass population, with record-sized fish being pulled from the lake. Popularity for this sport has grown so that bass tournaments are held each year.
The High Country Inn is less than ten minutes away from Big Eddy Marina, as well as Bruce’s Eddy. areas where boats can launch. There is also room for a few boats to be parked on the inn property and electrical outlets are available if needed. Sack lunches can also be ordered ahead to take along for the day’s fishing.
Hope to see you out fishing on the lake soon!
– The High Country Inn
Elk River and the Big Cedar
Hi all,
Today we have a recommendation for our “Things To Do” section of the blog from a past visitor here at the inn. Two guests took a day trip up to Elk River to visit the Big Cedar and surrounding areas and here’s what they had to say….
If you are up to a little adventure, take a trip to the city of Elk River, and then on to the “Big Cedar”, one of the largest trees in the Americas – a giant Western Red Cedar. Your trip will start out on a winding, paved road (Dent Bridge Road) through the countryside until you get to the bridge that crosses the Dworshak Reservoir. You need to stop there and take in the views. Dent Bridge is something out of the ordinary that you would never expect to come across in the middle of Idaho. It is is the second highest reservoir bridge ever built in North America.
The road then turns into a gravel road which winds through a logging area until you come to the city of Elk River.
The Huckleberry Heaven General Store is a MUST stop for huckleberry ice cream and/or lunch. Talk to the store owner – she really knows her huckleberries. She can also tell you how to get to the “Big Cedar” – approximately 10 miles away. On your way you will be taking another drive through nature, beautiful forests, babbling brooks and some possible wildlife. Finally, you will get to the area of the “Big Cedar”. Walk around to see the magnificent cedar groves. The path is paved, accessible and is a National Recreational Trail that leads to the “Big Cedar” which is over 18 feet wide and 177 feet tall, not to mention over 3,000 years old. Wow!
On your way back to the High Country Inn, take the long way around by going west from Elk River on State Route 8. If you are up to it, there is a series of waterfalls just west of Elk River called Elk River Falls that is well worth a 30 minute hike to get to. Then going west, you head to Deary, turn left on Route 3 South through some great farms. Then back down to Route 12 and the Clearwater River. Finally, you will be back at The High Country Inn for a bit of downtime.
Hope you find time to carve out for this adventure the next time you are in town.
– Mike and Debbie