The Wallowa Mountains of northeastern Oregon turned out to be the first of our many planned summer trips. The choice was a good one.
Driving east along the Colombia River on I-84, near the town of Pendleton, everything suddenly became lusher and greener. By the time we arrived at Wallowa Lake, I could see why the surrounding area is often called Little Switzerland. In fact, the following day, during a run through the Iwetemlaykin Interpretive Trail, my mind burst out singing “The hills are alive with the sound of music.” Austria, I know, but the wildflowers blooming against a backdrop of green rolling hills and snowcapped mountains definitely conjured the sentiment.
We stayed in the small town of Joseph, where the slow pace of life adds to the charm – 20 miles per hour down Main Street, historic brick buildings and local shops and restaurants, most of which close by 5-6pm and keep whatever hours they want. The town would benefit from a dog park and a few other amenities, but the locals would probably agree that Joseph is big enough.
The nearby village at Wallowa State Park probably has more people than Joseph, at least in summer. Lodging, Putt Putt, Bumper Boats, Go-Karts, gift shops – the area has an amusement park feel to it. Still, the location right on the lake makes it pretty amazing. We opted for a nearby Airbnb.
In the courtyard of the historic Jennings Hotel, the hotter-than-expected day gave way to a cool breeze while we ate delicious wood-fired pizzas and watched the aspens, even the baby ones, blow in the gentle wind.
The following day, the Wallowa Lake Tram provided amazing vistas all the way up to the summit of Howard Mountain. My daughters and I swayed the car, mostly to freak out my wife. It’s fun to get a rise out of a woman who normally doesn’t lose control.
With 2.5 miles of trails at the top, we meandered, enjoying the scenery, chatting with others and admiring the Seven Devils of Hells Canyon far away, but still visible, in Idaho. Wildflowers were abundant. Phlox, Oregon Sunshine, and hints of lupine sprouting added colors to an already amazing landscape. We ended up off path, not too much, but enough to escape the crowd and see more vistas.
Joseph Branch Railriders was another unique way to spend a day and experience the surrounding grand scenery. Riders can rent comfortable, four-wheeled rail bikes that gracefully move from one destination to another and back, usually 1 to 4 hours depending on the chosen trip. Pedaling the train tracks from Joseph to Enterprise and back sounds grueling, but the company has bikes available for all fitness levels. Morning or evening are the best times to ride.
The nearby town of Enterprise has a few shops to explore and dinner at Terminal Gravity Brewing was a great way to end the day. Reservations weren’t necessary but allowed us to forgo a long wait (hint, hint). Being the only brewery in the area sets the bar high for TGB, but the place lives up to the hype with a large shady courtyard, plenty of good beers, decent food and lots of cool swag to purchase.
The highlight of the trip and the best reason to visit is the Eagle Cap Wilderness. The largest wilderness in Oregon and one of the biggest in the entire U.S., the area covers more than 350,000 acres. We barely made a dent but what we saw was incredible.
According to locals, Hurricane Creek Trail is the best bang for your buck without overnighting. Waterfalls rush from the snowmelt on the mountain tops, wildflowers bloom everywhere and the streams flow vigorously. A hot day, we jumped in the calmer streams at least a few times. So vast and mostly devoid of other people, we saw only a few other hikers during our trek.
One thing’s for certain: After our visit, the Wallowas immediately became one of our favorite spots in the states and, honestly, in the entire Pacific Northwest. Add it to the top of your bucketlist.
This article appears in Source Weekly July 4, 2024.
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
