Spring, summer, fall and winter there are a variety of exciting new opportunities to tickle your fancy in Clearwater County. Orofino, the county seat was founded at the turn of the century when Indian lands were opened and the railroad laid new steel up the river.

Interests of the community vary from modern technology, musical and dramatic stage presentations, art and urban living to the rugged lumber and logging industry, rustic wilderness, and magnificent scenery of the Selway Bitterroot, the nation's largest established wilderness area.

The famed Clearwater elk herd, fabulous steelhead fishing, lake fishing and camping at Dworshak reservoir and forest campgrounds throughout the Clearwater National Forest are all part of the outdoor recreational incentive for visiting or living in Orofino. Orofino airport is a major base for the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness area.

At an elevation of 1050 feet and sheltered by the upland slopes of the Clearwater canyon, Orofino's climate is more moderate than the surrounding tablelands near the 3000 foot level. It enjoys mild winters as part of the Idaho "Banana Belt" and has a long growing season. Rainfall of about 25 inches comes from coastal storms moving inland toward the Bitterroot range on the eastern border of Idaho. The moisture also brings snow to the higher areas of the county, providing excellent opportunities for winter sports including downhill and cross country skiing and snowmobile activities with well groomed trails. Summer nights are cool, and golf is enjoyed a good nine months of the year.

Community assets include a 9-hole golf course, a Senior Citizen Center, various meeting facilities, a public library and historical museum. The city park, county fair buildings and arena, and adjacent athletic field are augmented by fine school-owned activity areas. School district #171 has high schools in Orofino and in the Weippe-Pierce area, elementary schools in Pierce, Weippe, Orofino and Peck and a junior high school in Orofino.

Clearwater Valley Hospital, newly upgraded and modernized, provides facilities and personnel for obstetrics, surgery, diagnostic X-ray, laboratory and coronary care. It is accredited and certified for Medicare and Blue Cross. Several physicians and dentists and a chiropractic physician have practices here. The North Central Health District maintains a service office and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare State Hospital North is a mental health and substance abuse treatment center. Two veterinarians care for the animal population.

Headquarters of the Clearwater National Forest is at Orofino as is the North Fork District Ranger Station. Personnel of the University of Idaho Extension Service, the Soil and Water Conservation District and the Idaho Bureau of Land Management maintain offices and services here. An additional employment base is provided by the Idaho Correctional Institution-Orofino, Dworshak Dam and National Fish Hatchery, Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protective Assn., and the Clearwater Hatchery at Ahsahka for the propagation of Chinook Salmon. A newly constructed business center affords space for growth of the business community.