Wallowa Mountains Adventure

Oregon has the newest national natural landmark, just designated the end of June: Mount Howard-East Peak National Natural Landmark in northeastern Oregon, in the Walllowa Mountains. We set out today to take a tram up Mount Howard and hike near the summit. One slight glitch: the tram was shut down for repairs and not expected to open today (no telling when it will reopen, and with the ancient machinery susceptible to breakdowns, we won't be back).

There's lots more to see and do in this lovely area. First we drove to Lake Wallowa along a portion of the Hell's Canyon Scenic Byway. We stopped at this little county park at the north end of the lake to take in the view. The area is called the "little Alps" because of the picturesque snow capped mountains (we figure there must be more snow other times of the year....).

We hiked the Chief Joseph Trail, part of an extensive trail system in the Eagle Cap Wilderness. (See description below.)

Wallowa River whitewater

BC Falls, the end of the trail since the bridge washed out

After eating a snack, we drove to the Chief Joseph Gravesite.

Then we went on to the Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site. (See description below.) One highlight is Knight's Pond with views of the Wallowa Mountains.

The Chief Joseph Trail
The first part of the Chief Joseph Trail is shared with the West Fork Wallowa River Trail # 1820 and then parts company with its neighbor at the 1/4 mile mark with a gentle right hand fork. At the 1/2 mile mark, the first river crossing is the West Fork of the Wallowa River. In another 1+ mile, BC Creek creates a mountain waterfall that cascades down across the trail where the bridge is washed out. [http://www.wallowalake.net/index.php/recreation/hiking]

Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site
Set amidst the stunning backdrop of the Wallowa Mountains, the entire area is part of the ancestral homeland of the Nez Perce Tribe, and is a sacred place to the Nez Perce Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. "Iwetemlaykin" is the Nez Perce name for this area of the Wallowa Lake basin. Pronounced ee-weh-TEMM-lye-kinn, the name translates to "at the edge of the lake." The property is adjacent to a Nez Perce National Historical Park, site of Old Chief Joseph Gravesite and Cemetery.

Short trails with spectacular views of the Wallowa Mountains pass Knight's Pond, a cool summer oasis and a peaceful respite for hikers. Look for spring and summer wildflowers during your walk. You also may catch glimpses of deer, fox, bear and raptors. [http://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkPage&parkId=190]