Nez Perce National Historical Park
Since time immemorial, the valleys, prairies, mountains, and plateaus of the inland northwest have been home to the nimíipuu (Nez Perce) people. Extremely resilient, they survived the settling of the United States and adapted to a changed world. Nez Perce National Historical Park consists of 38 places important to the history and culture of the nimíipuu. Explore these places. Learn their stories.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRx Stray Creek Lcrd
12 mi from the park's reference point · 150 acres
- PrescribedRx Rescue Jensen Nfrd
33 mi from the park's reference point · 44 acres
- PrescribedRx Barnyard Units Nfrd
49 mi from the park's reference point · 41 acres
Within 50 miles, as of 2026-10-14. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Check the park's alerts and the managing office before you drive.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Nez Perce National Historical Park, Spalding Visitor Center | Varies by day ▾
|
Hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow |
|
| Jun 1 to Sep 29, 2027Summer Hours |
|
When to go
June draws the most visits here and December the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Nez Perce National Historical Park Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
Contains a museum, park film, junior ranger program, and various maps and brochures.
Explore
Things to do
- Watch the Coho Salmon Run on Lapwai Creek10-120 Minutes
Coho Salmon have used the waterways of North Central Idaho for millennia to travel to and from the Ocean. In 1984 Coho Salmon were listed as an extinct species, but the hard work of the Nez Perce Fisheries Program has brought them back.
Opens on the Park Service site - See the Camas Flowers Bloom on Weippe Prairie10-60 Minutes
The prairie has always been a traditional gathering place for the nimí·pu· (Nez Perce). Families come to dig for camas bulbs (an important staple in the nimí·pu· diet), socialize, and worship. Blooms can be seen in the springtime.
Opens on the Park Service site - Nez Perce Legends Tour
Three legend sites along the Clearwater river highlighting the trickster Coyote.
Opens on the Park Service site - Spalding Walking Tour30-90 Minutes
Historic area with cultural, state and national significance.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Webcams
Camera images load live from the National Park Service and partner agencies
News
- Nez Perce National Historical Park Welcomes New Superintendent Jason Lyon ↗2026-07-14
Nez Perce National Historical Park is pleased to announce the selection of Jason Lyon as the park's new superintendent.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
On the National Register nearby
- Big Cedar SchoolBuilding · Kooskia · 3.1 mi
- State Bank of KooskiaBuilding · Kooskia · 6.9 mi
- First Presbyterian ChurchBuilding · Kamiah · 11.2 mi
- Sue McBeth CabinBuilding · Kamiah · 11.2 mi
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Forest Service trails nearby
These trails are outside the park on National Forest land, within 15 miles of Nez Perce. Each one opens on Trailhead Atlas.
Distance is measured from the park's reference point to the nearer end of the trail.
Guidebooks for the Rocky Mountains
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Full checklist: 158 birds, 46 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Bald Eagle · Barn Owl · Cooper's Hawk · Ferruginous Hawk · Golden Eagle · Great Horned Owl · Northern Pygmy-Owl · Northern harrier · Osprey · Prairie Falcon · Red-tailed Hawk · Rough-legged Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Short-eared Owl · Swainson's Hawk · Turkey Vulture · Western Screech-Owl
Waterfowl & wadersAmerican Coot · American White Pelican · American Wigeon · Barrow's Goldeneye · Blue-winged Teal · Bufflehead · Canada Goose · Cinnamon Teal · Common Goldeneye · Common Merganser · Eared Grebe · Great Blue Heron · Green-winged Teal · Hooded Merganser · Horned Grebe · Northern Pintail · Pied-billed Grebe · Ring-necked Duck · Ruddy Duck · Sandhill Crane · Snow Goose · Virginia Rail · Wood Duck
Shorebirds & seabirdsCalifornia Gull · Franklin's Gull · Killdeer · Long-billed Curlew · Ring-billed Gull · Spotted Sandpiper · Willet · Wilson's Phalarope · Wilson's Snipe
Gamebirds & dovesCalifornia Quail · Mourning Dove · Ring-necked Pheasant · Rock Dove · Spruce Grouse · Wild turkey
WoodpeckersDowny Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Pileated Woodpecker · Red-naped Sapsucker · american three-toed woodpecker
Hummingbirds & swiftsCalliope Hummingbird · Rufous Hummingbird · Vaux's Swift
Also on the checklistAmerican Crow · American Dipper · American Dusky Flycatcher · American Goldfinch · American Robin · Baird's Sparrow · Bank Swallow · Barn Swallow · Belted Kingfisher · Bewick's Wren · Black-billed Magpie · Black-capped Chickadee · Black-headed Grosbeak · Bobolink · Brewer's Blackbird · Brown Creeper · Brown-headed Cowbird · Bullock's Oriole · Canada Jay · Canyon Wren · Cassin's Finch · Cedar Waxwing · Chestnut-backed Chickadee · Chipping sparrow · Chukar · Clark's Nutcracker · Clay-colored sparrow · Cliff Swallow · Common Nighthawk · Common Raven · Common Yellowthroat · Common grackle · Cordilleran flycatcher · Dark-eyed Junco · Eastern Kingbird · European Starling · Evening Grosbeak · Fox Sparrow · Gadwall · Golden-crowned Kinglet · Grasshopper sparrow · Gray Catbird · Gray Partridge · Gray-crowned Rosy-finch · Hammond's Flycatcher · Horned Lark · House Finch · House Wren · Lark Sparrow · Lazuli Bunting · Lincoln's Sparrow · Macgillivray's Warbler · Mallard · Mountain Bluebird · Mountain Chickadee · Northern Oriole · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Northern Shoveler · Olive-sided Flycatcher · Pine Siskin · Red Crossbill · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-eyed Vireo · Red-winged Blackbird · Redhead · Rock Wren · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · Savannah Sparrow · Say's Phoebe · Song Sparrow · Sora · Spotted towhee · Sprague's Pipit · Steller's Jay · Swainson's Thrush · Townsend's Solitaire · Tree Swallow · Varied Thrush · Vesper Sparrow · Violet-green Swallow · Warbling Vireo · Western Bluebird · Western Kingbird · Western Meadowlark · Western Tanager · Western Wood-Pewee · White-crowned Sparrow · Willow Flycatcher · Wilson's Warbler · Winter Wren · Yellow Warbler · Yellow-breasted Chat · Yellow-headed Blackbird
Small mammalsAmerican Beaver · Bushy-tailed Woodrat · Cinereus Shrew · Columbian Ground Squirrel · Common Muskrat · Coronation Island vole · Deer mouse · Meadow Vole · Mountain Cottontail · Northern Pocket Gopher · Red Squirrel · Richardson's Ground Squirrel · Sagebrush Vole · Snowshoe Hare · Southern Red-backed Vole · Vagrant Shrew · Western Harvest Mouse · White-tailed Jack Rabbit · Yellow-bellied Marmot · Yellow-pine Chipmunk
PredatorsAmerican Badger · American Mink · Bobcat · Common Otter · Coyote · Cross Fox · Long-tailed Weasel · Striped Skunk · common raccoon
Hoofed mammalsBighorn Sheep · Mule Deer · Pronghorn · White-tailed Deer · elk
BatsBig Brown Bat · Black Bat · California Myotis · Hoary Bat · Little Brown Bat · Long-eared Myotis · Long-legged Myotis · Pallid Bat · Pinto Bat · Small-footed Myotis · Western Pipistrelle · Yuma Myotis
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Horseback riding in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
All 16 activitiesHide
Weather & climate
Elevations in the Park range from 700 feet above sea level to over 8,000, providing a wide range of climatic conditions, that follow the four seasons. Be prepared for very warm weather in the summer months, in particular in the river valleys. The spring and fall are moderate and comfortable. Winter conditions can be severe in the higher elevations, with snow and ice making travel difficult and dangerous. Please visit the National Weather Service for comprehensive weather information.
Questions people ask
Does Nez Perce charge an entrance fee?
No. Nez Perce is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Nez Perce?
Standard hours are 8:30AM - 4:00PM on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and it is closed on Sunday and Monday. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
How busy is Nez Perce?
343,910 recreation visits in 2025, number 138 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Nez Perce?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show AT&T 4G LTE. No reported coverage for Verizon and T-Mobile. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
When was Nez Perce established?
1965. It covers about 3.3 square miles.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the weather like at Nez Perce?
Elevations in the Park range from 700 feet above sea level to over 8,000, providing a wide range of climatic conditions, that follow the four seasons. Be prepared for very warm weather in the summer months, in particular in the river valleys.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
Nearby units
