Bear Lake County, ID

About Bear Lake County

Bear Lake County, Idaho, established on January 5, 1875, and named for Bear Lake which straddles the Idaho-Utah border, is a sparsely populated county in southeastern Idaho with Montpelier as its county seat. Covering 1,049 square miles, it had a population of 6,372 in 2020. Originally home to Shoshone and Bannock Native American tribes, the area saw Mormon pioneers settle in the 1860s under Charles C. Rich, with Paris, the first settlement in the Bear Lake Valley, founded in 1863. The Oregon Short Line railroad, completed in the 1880s, spurred growth in Montpelier, which became a key hub for decades. But when the railroad reconfigured in the 1960s, the area’s main source of income took a major hit. Agriculture products, including dairy, hay, and grain, drive the local economy/ Tourism fueled by Bear Lake’s recreational appeal and events like the Bear Lake Raspberry Days has become another important economic driving force. The county features historical sites like the Paris Tabernacle and the National Oregon/California Trail Center. Despite challenges like economic reliance on seasonal tourism and limited industry, Bear Lake County remains a scenic, historically rich region.