Clearwater is a district municipality

District municipality

A district municipality is a designation for a class of municipalities found in several locations, including Canada, Lithuania, and South Africa.-Usage in British Columbia:...

 in the North Thompson River

Thompson River

The Thompson River is the largest tributary of the Fraser River, flowing through the south-central portion of British Columbia, Canada. The Thompson River has two main branches called the South Thompson and the North Thompson...

 valley in British Columbia

British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

, Canada, 124 km (77 mi) north of Kamloops

Kamloops, British Columbia

Kamloops is a city in south central British Columbia, at the confluence of the two branches of the Thompson River and near Kamloops Lake. It is the largest community in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District and the location of the regional district's offices. The surrounding region is more commonly...

. The largest community in the valley, with a population of 4,960, Clearwater is predominantly employed by the forestry industry. Tourism is also a major industry, with Wells Gray Provincial Park

Wells Gray Provincial Park

Wells Gray Provincial Park is a large wilderness park located in east-central British Columbia, Canada. The park protects most of the southern, and highest, regions of the Cariboo Mountains and covers 5,250 square kilometres...

 just to the north. The park encompasses 5,250 square kilometres, with four rivers, six major lakes, and 39 named waterfalls, including Canada's fourth highest, Helmcken Falls

Helmcken Falls

Helmcken Falls is a waterfall on the Murtle River within Wells Gray Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada. The protection of Helmcken Falls was one of the reasons for the creation of Wells Gray Provincial Park in 1939....

. A municipal government was incorporated in December 2007.
As a flag stop Via Rail

VIA Rail

Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....

's The Canadian

The Canadian

The Canadian is a Canadian transcontinental passenger train originally operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway between 1955 and 1978. It is currently operated as an Inter-city rail service by Via Rail Canada with service between Union Station in Toronto, Ontario and Pacific Central Station in...

calls at the Clearwater railway station

Clearwater railway station

The Clearwater railway station is on the Canadian National Railway mainline in Clearwater, British Columbia, the station is located south side of the North Thompson River . The station is served by Via Rail's The Canadian three times per week in each direction as a flag stop .- External links :*...

 three times per week in each direction.

Clearwater has two schools: Raft River Elementary with approximately 300 students and Clearwater Secondary School with about 225 students. Clearwater Secondary School's team sports are named The Raiders and include soccer, volleyball, and basketball. Currently they play in single A.

The Overlanders expedition to the Cariboo goldfields

Cariboo Gold Rush

The Cariboo Gold Rush was a gold rush in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Although the first gold discovery was made in 1859 at Horsefly Creek, followed by more strikes at Keithley Creek and Antler Horns lake in 1860, the actual rush did not begin until 1861, when these discoveries were...

 rafted down the North Thompson River in 1862. When they arrived at the mouth of the Clearwater River

Clearwater River (British Columbia)

The Clearwater River is the largest tributary of the North Thompson River, joining it at the community of Clearwater, British Columbia. The Clearwater rises from glaciers in the Cariboo Mountains and flows in a mostly southerly direction for to the North Thompson. Its entire course, except the...

, they named it for its distinct clarity compared to the muddy North Thompson. The Overlanders also named Raft Mountain

Raft Mountain

Raft Mountain is a mountain in east-central British Columbia, Canada, located north-east of Clearwater and just outside the south boundary of Wells Gray Provincial Park. The Clearwater River flows to the west, Raft River to the east, Spahats Creek to the north, and North Thompson River to the...

which rises northeast of Clearwater to a height of 2450 m (8,038 ft).