Gold Rush Historic Byway

Gold Rush Historic Byway is a 42.5-mile scenic drive in north-central Idaho, following the Clearwater River from Greer to the old mining town of Headquarters. The route traces the region's gold rush past through Pierce, where prospectors struck Idaho's first gold in 1860, and Weippe Prairie, where the Lewis and Clark expedition rested during the brutal winter of 1805-06 before pushing on toward the Pacific. A logging museum and a local library's collection of artifacts from the area's Chinese mining community add more depth than the drive's name alone suggests. The byway climbs through rolling grain fields and thick timber before ending at Headquarters, on the edge of Clearwater National Forest. Along the way, travelers can fish, camp, and hike in summer or switch to skiing and snowmobiling once snow settles over the forest in winter. At about two and a half hours round trip, it's a compact addition to any Idaho scenic byway itinerary through the Clearwater Valley.

• Greer to Headquarters
• 42.5 miles
• Pierce (Idaho's first gold strike, 1860)
• Weippe Prairie
• Lewis and Clark expedition
• Clearwater National Forest
• Clearwater River