Bear Lake County, Idaho

Bear Lake County
Bear Lake County Courthouse
Bear Lake County Courthouse
Official seal of Bear Lake County
Map of Idaho highlighting Bear Lake County
Location within the U.S. state of Idaho
Map of the United States highlighting Idaho
Idaho's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°17′N 111°20′W / 42.29°N 111.33°W / 42.29; -111.33
Country United States
State Idaho
FoundedJanuary 5, 1875
Named forBear Lake
SeatParis
Largest cityMontpelier
Area
 • Total1,049 sq mi (2,720 km2)
 • Land975 sq mi (2,530 km2)
 • Water75 sq mi (190 km2)  7.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total6,372 Increase
 • Density6/sq mi (2/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitebearlakecounty.info

Bear Lake County is a county in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2020 United States Census the county had a population of 6,372.[1] The county seat is Paris,[2] and Montpelier is the largest city.

The county is named after Bear Lake, a large alpine lake at an elevation of 5,924 feet (1,806 m) above sea level. The northern half of the 20-mile-long (32 km) lake is in Idaho, the southern half in Utah. The county was established in 1875 in the Idaho Territory, fifteen years before statehood.[3]

  1. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Rich, A.M.; Rich, Russell (April 12, 1962). "Indians once traded beside Bear Lake". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 6, section 2.