Why visit Kamiah
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 2 parks and trails, 2 places to eat and 4 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include James F. Bridwell House and State Bank of Kamiah.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 91°F; December lows average 26°F.
Weather in Kamiah
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Kamiah
Kamiah is a city in Lewis and Idaho counties in the U.S. state of Idaho. The largest city in Lewis County, it extends only a small distance into Idaho County, south of Lawyer Creek. As of the 2020 census, Kamiah had a population of 1,117. The city lies in the narrow valley of the Clearwater River; downstream are Orofino and Lewiston, at the confluence with the Snake River.
From the Wikipedia article Kamiah, Idaho (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks3
James F. Bridwell House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Idaho, United States
State Bank of Kamiah
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Bank building in Kamiah, Idaho. United States
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Sue McBeth Cabin
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Historic house in Idaho, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes2
Where to stay4
History
The Kamiah area has been inhabited by the Nez Perce for centuries. The name "Kamiah" is Nez Perce for "many rope litters," as Nez Perce manufactured "Kamia" ropes in the area to fish steelhead. Also according to Nez Perce tradition, the Appaloosa horse was first bred in the area.
On their return trip east, the Lewis and Clark Expedition camped in the Kamiah area for several weeks during the spring of 1806, waiting for snows to melt.
Kamiah is the character name of the Nez Perce/Blackfoot woman in Across the Wide Missouri, a 1951 'mountain men' film set in the 1830s. Similar in fame to Sacagawea of the Lewis & Clark expedition, Kamiah led her associated mountain men's troop over the Bitterroot Range to her homeland (Three Forks, Montana for Sacagawea).
Hohots Ilppilp was the leader around Kamiah from at least the time of Lewis and Clark until the 1840s. When the first leader for all the Nez Perce was appointed, it was Hohots Ilppilp's grandson Ellis who lived in this area and maintained large herds of sheep, cattle and over a thousand horses.
Kamiah is within the Nez Perce Indian Reservation. Similar to the opening of lands in Oklahoma, the U.S. government opened the reservation for white settlement 131 years ago in November 1895. The proclamation had been signed less than two weeks earlier by President Cleveland.
From the History section of Kamiah, Idaho on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship3
First Presbyterian Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic
407 7th Street, Kamiah
Shopping2
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Map of Kamiah
21 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 26°F | 2.1 in | 2.7 in |
| Feb | 46°F | 30°F | 1.9 in | 2.0 in |
| Mar | 55°F | 33°F | 2.7 in | 0.5 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 37°F | 2.8 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 73°F | 44°F | 2.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 50°F | 2.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 90°F | 52°F | 0.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 91°F | 52°F | 0.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 46°F | 1.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 38°F | 1.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 45°F | 31°F | 2.8 in | 0.4 in |
| Dec | 36°F | 26°F | 2.0 in | 5.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Kamiah (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Idaho County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2026-04-07: Straight-Line Winds (Straight-Line Winds)
- 2024-06-10: Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-04-09: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-06-12: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2017-05-18: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Idaho County Airport (IDH) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 21 miles away.
- Kooskia 6 mi southeast, about 10 min by car
- Nezperce 10 mi west, about 16 min by car
- Weippe 11 mi north, about 18 min by car
- Cottonwood 20 mi southwest, about 32 min by car
- Grangeville 21 mi south, about 34 min by car
- Orofino 21 mi northwest, about 33 min by car
- Craigmont 21 mi west, about 34 min by car
- Pierce 22 mi northeast, about 35 min by car
- Winchester 28 mi west, about 46 min by car
- Lewiston 47 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Kamiah, Idaho, rustejunk, CC BY 2.0
- State Bank of Kamiah - Kamiah Idaho, Ian Poellet, CC BY-SA 4.0
- FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- SUE MCBETH CABIN, JERRY & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bridwell House NRHP 88001446 Lewis County, ID, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- I Choose Prevention! (8730583376), SAMHSA from Rockville, Public domain
- I Choose Prevention! (8729463133), SAMHSA from Rockville, Public domain
- I Choose Prevention! (8738757213), SAMHSA from Rockville, Public domain
- Exposed tree roots along Clearwater River, PinchyCC, CC BY 4.0
- Nez Perce National Historical Marker - 39676927405, John Manard, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Nez Perce National Historical Marker - 38761384490, John Manard, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Nez Perce National Historical Marker, John Manard, CC BY-SA 2.0
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