The Clearwater rises from glaciers in the Cariboo Mountains and flows in a mostly southerly direction for 201 km (125 mi) to the North Thompson.

When they arrived at the mouth of the Clearwater River, they noted its distinct clarity compared to the muddy North Thompson and named it Clear Water.

In 1863, the first tourists, Lord Milton and Dr. Cheadle, traveled through the North Thompson Valley and solidified the Clearwater River name by publishing it in their journal, The Northwest Passage by Land (London, 1865).

Tribune, published in Yale, reported: "...a party of prospectors which went up the Clear Water River about fifty miles, early this season, discovered a quartz ledge on a tributary of it which appears to be very rich in silver."

The Cariboo Sentinel of Barkerville commented on October 13, 1869: "About forty Chinamen are working the bench by shooting the gravel down to the Clearwater River, and are making from $4 to $9 a day.

With proper water works this bench would yield a large amount of gold, and its extent offers employment to hundreds of miners."

Neither of these reports suggests the specific location of the activities on the Clearwater River and, as mileage calculated in those days was generally inaccurate, the figure given by the B.C.

Although showings of gold and silver were of an economical quantity during a 1938 survey, the site was never fully developed, because of the unpredictable movements of the nearby glacier.

[4] Between 1872 and 1881, about 20 survey parties fanned out across British Columbia trying to find the best route for the new railway between Yellowhead Pass in the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Coast.

There is the short space between Clearwater lake and the north fork of the North Thompson River, about which I can get no information....This is undoubtedly part of the Selkirk Range, and I have no expectation that a railway line could be got through it without a tunnel of considerable length, but this route would shorten the line so much that it is well worth consideration.

When the more southern Kicking Horse Pass was chosen instead in 1881, all the meticulously examined routes in the Clearwater River basin were abandoned.

The closest one belonged to John Ray who arrived in 1911 and settled about 55 km (34 mi) up the Clearwater Valley from the North Thompson River.

Ray cleared land and became nearly self-sufficient, making trips west to 100 Mile House only once or twice a year to pick up some supplies and trade his furs.

[4] The first half of the Clearwater River's course is among the peaks of the Cariboo Mountains and deep, glacially-carved valleys are typical.

All six were named in 1966 in honour of Canadian soldiers from the Quesnel area killed in action during World War II.

Below Hobson Lake, the Clearwater drops over a series of low waterfalls and many rapids, descending 178 m (584 ft) in the next 12 km (7 mi).

The only extended section of calm water is called The Horseshoe, a 5 km (3 mi) long meander where the river almost inscribes a complete circle.

This road is paved to Helmcken Falls, then gravel in good condition for the remaining distance to Clearwater Lake.

This road is seldom out of sight of the Clearwater River and can even be closed in May or June due to high water.

Another unsigned trail starts at km 32.6 and leads to a beach on the river with White Horse Bluff opposite.

The McDiarmid family built four fishing camps along the east bank between Grouse Creek and the Mahood River.

In 1994, new regulations came into effect which called for catch and release, a bait ban, a single barbless hook, and no fishing prior to July 15 each year.

Taking out at Deer Creek is critical because downstream is the start of 10 km (6 mi) of rapids, culminating in Gatling Gorge and Helmcken Canyon.