Route Description
US 12 enters Idaho at the Washington state line in Lewiston, Nez Perce County, crossing the Snake River at the state line. It heads east through Lewiston, turning north to cross the Clearwater River and intersect SH-128. It continues east to overlap US 95 along a limited access section. The overlapped highways run east along the north bank of the Clearwater River for 7.299 miles, leaving Lewiston and entering the Nez Perce Indian Reservation before separating.
US 12 then continues east along the north bank of the Clearwater through North Lapwai, past the Ant and Yellowjacket rock formation and a historical marker for the Spalding Mission. It continues east to intersect SH-3 and cross the Clearwater again.
US 12 then continues east along the south bank of the Clearwater past historical markers commemorating Indian houses and the ghost town of Slaterville, and, in a rest area at Lenore, a historical marker for the Lenore Tram. It then continues into Clearwater County.
In Clearwater County, US 12 continues east along the south bank of the Clearwater through Orofino. Just after leaving Orofino, it briefly overlaps SH-7, then continues southeast along the south bank of the Clearwater past a historical marker for the point where Lewis and Clark first found a western-flowing river, and into Lewis County. It then continues into Lewis County.
In Lewis County, US 12 continues southeast along the south bank of the Clearwater, intersecting SH-11 at Greer and passing a historical marker for a ferry operated in the 1860 gold rush. It then continues southeast into Kamiah, where it intersects SH-162. It then crosses the Clearwater again, leaving Kamiah and entering Idaho County.
In Idaho County, US 12 continues south along the north bank of the Clearwater, crossing Nez Perce National Historical Park. In the park, it passes a historical marker for two sites located about two miles away, commemorating the Lewis and Clark Long Camp of 1806 and the Asa Smith mission of 1839 to 1841. It then continues south along the north bank of the Clearwater, intersecting SH-13 across the river from Kooskia. It then turns east along the north bank of the Clearwater, passing a historical marker commemorating the camp of Nez Perce led by Looking Glass, and the July 1, 1877 attack by the U.S. Army that provoked Looking Glass to join the Nez Perce retreat with Chief Joseph. It continues east along the north bank of the Clearwater, leaving the Nez Perce reservation. US 12 then continues to Lowell, where it turns northeast along the north bank of the Lochsa River through the Rocky Mountains.
In the Rockies, US 12 passes historical markers for Whitehouse Pond, Lewis and Clark's crossing of the Lolo Trail in 1806, and their crossing of the Lolo Pass summit in 1805, before crossing Lolo Pass at the Montana state line.
Read more about this topic: U.S. Route 12 In Idaho
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