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TOWNS & COUNTRY
GRANDE RONDE VALLEY TO WALLOWA VALLEY
Eighty-four miles via OR Highway 82 and county road 350;
allow two hours for travel and another one to two hours
for stops. Road may be snowy and icy in winter.
Beginning in the patchwork farm lands and hillside orchards
of the broad Grande Ronde Valley, the first leg of the
Byway follows numerous rivers through ever-higher valleys
to the glacier-carved Wallowa Mountains. Each small town
along the way offers a different character, a different
combination of services.
La Grande & Island
City
Est. 1865; pop. 12,540; elev.
2,788'.
Lodging, RV, restaurants, shopping, groceries & gas.
From La Grande and Island City, take OR Highway 82 east.
La Grande was established at a popular rest stop along
the Historic Oregon Trail. A wide variety of travel services
and proximity to varied terrain make La Grande a popular
recreation base for cyclists, hikers, hunters, fishermen,
skiers, as well as snowmobile and ATV enthusiasts. Enjoy
excellent wildlife viewing nearby, exceptional fall colors
and year-round cultural events at Eastern Oregon University.
Walking tours highlight the community's historic homes,
urban forest and commercial Historic District. Summer
weekends are filled with annual festivals and rodeos.
Signs of this region's timber and agriculture-based economy
abound. Leaving town, watch for fields of bright yellow
Canola (for oil), mint, alfalfa, wheat, barley, garbanzo
beans, seed potatoes and world famous turf grass seed.
Imbler
Est. 1922; pop. 305; elev. 2,732'.
Cafes, groceries & gas.
Pastoral Imbler's farming heritage is deeply rooted.
Known as the "Grass Seed Capital of the World,"
numerous Century Farms in the area have been operated
by the same families for more than 100 years. The community
and Mt. Harris, to the east, were named for early settlers.
Elgin
Est. 1891; pop. 1,635; elev. 2,670'.
Lodging, RV Park, restaurants, groceries & gas.
The former location of Fort Baker and a trading area
since the 1880s, Elgin is a gateway to outstanding outdoor
recreation in the Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman National
Forests. Home to cattle, grain and hay producers as well
as mill and timber workers, this little community hosts
the roaring Elgin Stampede PRCA Rodeo each July. The
beautifully restored Opera House presents movies, concerts
and live theater. It houses the community's historical
museum. The Grande Ronde River flows through town, providing
ample opportunity to raft, fish and enjoy the scenery.
A scenic side trip to the north will take you to the
Looking Glass Fish Hatchery.
Minam
Lodging, store, boat launch & state park.
The Minam and Wallowa Rivers meet here and flow into
the Grande Ronde River a few miles down stream. Segments
of all three rivers have earned Wild and Scenic designation
The rivers offer excellent steelhead fishing, rafting
and year-round wildlife viewing. In winter, watch for
bald eagles and other raptors. From here, the Byway climbs
through a series of valleys toward the majestic Wallowa
Mountains. Notice how crops vary along the route. Use
caution, you'll be sharing the road with log trucks,
horse trailers and cattle trucks.
Wallowa
Est. 1899; pop 760; elev. 2,923'.
Lodging, cafes, groceries & gas.
"Wa-Lo-wah" shares its Nez Perce name with the mountains,
lake, river and valley you're now entering. The Wallowa Band of the
Nez Perce knew the area for it's great fishing -Wallowa is the name
of the tripod used to support their fish nets. The band gathers here
for TamKaLiks, an annual Friendship Feast and Pow Wow each July. Residents
depend on the land for farming, ranching, logging and milling. The Byway
continues along the bubbling Wallowa and Lostine Rivers.
Lostine
Est. 1903; pop 230; elev. 3,200'.
Cafe & store.
At this tiny turn-of-the century town, visit second hand
stores or rest a while on a wooden bench in front of
the combination sporting goods, grocery and dry goods
store. Lostine comes alive during the town's big 4th
of July Flea Market. Numerous Forest Service roads in
the vicinity provide access to year-round recreation
in the Eagle Cap Wilderness. A side trip up the crystal
clear Lostine River leads to rustic campgrounds, trailheads,
and breathtaking scenery.
Wallowa Mountains Visitor
Center
Enterprise near mile post #64.
Atop the hill just before Enterprise, this center is
a "must" stop for Byway travelers. The large
relief map will help you make travel decisions. Get current
information on road conditions, campgrounds and recreation
facilities from travel-savvy staff. You'll also find
exhibits of interest to all ages as well as books, brochures,
maps etc.
Outdoor Info Kiosk
Hours vary. Phone (541) 426-5546 during business hours;
(541) 426-5591 for 24-hour recreation recording.
Enterprise
Est. 1889; pop. 1,940; elev. 3,757'.
Lodging, restaurants, shopping, groceries & gas.
The largest of the Wallowa Valley communities, Enterprise
offers an array of shops, accommodations and back country
and river outfitters. A Hot Air Balloon Rally and Sheep
Dog Trials are among the charming town's local events.
As you leave town, watch the fields to the right, between
mile posts #66 and #67, for the big black Clydesdale
draft horses raised here. The Wallowa Mountains tower
above rolling ranch lands.
Joseph
Est. 1887; pop 1,130; elev. 4,191'.
Lodging, restaurants, shopping, groceries & gas.
Named for young Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce Tribe,
this town is now a flourishing art community with a national
reputation for its top quality bronze foundries and galleries.
The summer is full of events—from art and music
festivals to the Chief Joseph Days Rodeo. Most galleries
and shops are open year-round, as are museums with Indian
artifacts and early history collections. Use facilities
at Joseph or Wallowa Lake as a base for extended Hells
Canyon or Eagle Cap Wilderness exploration. Call ahead
to arrange a foundry tour and reserve accommodations.
Continue on Highway 82 to Wallowa Lake or proceed on
the Byway route: at the north edge of Joseph, turn east
(between the gas station and grocery store) onto Highway
350.
Wallowa Lake
Lodging, RV Park, restaurants, convenience groceries,
boat launch, state park & campground. No gas. Most
services are open seasonally.
Beautiful Wallowa Lake was shaped by glaciers which covered
this region three to seven times. The 2,000 foot thick
Bennett Glacier scoured the West Fork of the Wallowa
River for almost 20 miles, creating Wallowa Lake and
leaving nearly perfect examples of lateral and terminal
moraines around the lake. Mule deer wander in the vicinity
year round. At six miles in length, Wallowa Lake is a
playground to water skiers, jet skiers, and paddle-boaters.
Go carts and miniature golf are popular pursuits on shore.
Take a tramway to spectacular views atop the 8,300 foot
summit of Mt. Howard, on the edge of the Eagle Cap Wilderness.
Two miles of hiking trails at the top of the tram ride
provide incredible views into three states. This area
was part of the ancestral homelands of the Wallowa Band
of the Nez Perce. A monument to Old Chief Joseph rests
at the north end of the lake.
Return to Joseph and take Road 350 east. From Joseph, travel
on Highway 350 for 8 miles to the junction with Forest
Road 39, also known as the "Wallowa Mountain Loop
Road." It's decision time: take 39 south toward
Halfway, or, stay on 350 for side trips to (1) Imnaha
and (2) Hat Point, where the most spectacular views of
Hells Canyon and the Seven Devils Mountains on the Idaho
side can be seen. It's over a mile straight down from
the canyon rim at Hat Point to the banks of the Snake
River below. Allow 3-4 hours for this side trip or camp
overnight.
Wallowa Mountain Loop
Forty-five miles of paved winding road on steep side slopes,
allow 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
No gas, no services; water at some campgrounds.
The road is open to wheeled vehicles June - October;
in winter the route is groomed for snowmobile travel
and Nordic skiing.
The Wallowa Loop offers exceptional views of the Wallowa
and Seven Devils Mountains. It crosses several river
drainages, including the Imnaha where Snake River Chinook
Salmon and Bull Trout spawn. Along the way are numerous
trailheads and campgrounds as well as the Canal Fire
burn, where a lightning-caused fire burned 23,000 acres
in 1989. The road narrows to 1 1/2 lanes for about 11
miles along Gumboot Creek.
Salt Creek Summit Recreation
Park
Near mile post 5.
Restrooms, no drinking water.
In summer this is a hiking trailhead area; in winter,
it's the end of the paved road and the entrance to a
snowy playground. Ahead are Lick Creek Campground and
Guard Station, listed on the National Historic Register,
and Ollokot Campground, a site historically used by the
Nez Perce Tribe and named after Young Chief Joseph's
brother. Side trips off this segment include (3) Hells
Canyon Overlook, at mile post 29 for expansive views
of canyon country and (4) Snake River Segment, at the
junction with Highway 86, to enjoy the riverside campgrounds
and the chance to fish, boat and raft the Snake River.
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