Wallowa Lake Area Information

1. Go rodeo-ing at the PRCA Chief Joseph Days Rodeo. This event is always the last full weekend of July. Top professional cowboys compete in three evening shows at the base of the Wallowa Mountains. A local amateur, family night show kicks off the rodeo. Parade and local cultural events highlight the weekend. 2. Watch the annual Lee Scott Memorial Plowing Bee. Horses and mules are harnessed up to draw old plows and discs. Close your eyes and just listen for a moment to the sounds of old-time plowing. Imagine yourself as a pioneer farmer on this land. 3. Have lunch at the Imnaha Store and Tavern. This unique store is located at one of the entrances to Hells Canyon. Enjoy local specialties, such as chicken gizzards. You can visit with people in this local hotspot. 4. Attend Tamkaliks. Enjoy three days of native dancing, drumming and religious ceremonies in this mid-summer event, hosted by a coalition of Nez Perce and local people. Check out vendors’ booths and don’t miss the Sunday friendship feast. 5. Go steelhead fishing on the Wallowa River. Access is convenient along Highway 82 where highway and river wind through a beautiful canyon. It’s an exhilarating place to be! 6. Spend the day at the Joseph Bronze, Blues & Brews festival. This summertime show features a whole day of top-quality blues musicians performing on a big stage. Micro-brewers and wineries sell beer and wine, and locally produced bronzes are on exhibit. Beautiful Joseph City Park serves as the perfect outdoor venue. 7. Go camping at Wallowa Lake State Park. Both tent camping and RV hook-ups are available at this site located beside the Wallowa Mountains. Mini-golf, go-cart racing, and boat rentals can enhance your experience. 8. Watch the Dragon boat races on Wallowa Lake. This new event promises to be a spectacular crowd-pleaser, held at one of Oregon’s seven wonders, Wallowa Lake at the end of August. 9. Take a camera to the Zumwalt Prairie. Meadow vistas between the mountains are breathtaking to behold. Wildlife viewing and bird-watching are a must in this serene place, which boasts native bunch grasses, scores of wildflower species, hawks, eagles, songbirds, and mammals large and small. 10. Check out the antique tractors at Sunrise Iron. See this historical tractor museum located on Alder Slope. Marvel at the evolution of tractors and imagine what it was like to farm using these machines, now beautifully restored. 11. Ice skating at Enterprise City Park. An outdoor community ice-skating rink open to the public. Family fun, open dates for different types of skating, night-lights, and competitive local hockey games are all part of the fun. 12. Take a ride on the Wallowa Union Railroad Excursion Train. Departs from the Elgin Depot. Check their schedule at eaglecaptrainrides.com 13. Golf in Enterprise. A nine-hole golf course is open to the public from spring to the end of summer. The scenery and atmosphere can’t be beat. 14. Polar bear plunge into Wallowa Lake. This annual New Year’s Day event will get your blood flowing for the rest of the year! 15. Watch the 4th of July fireworks show at the lake. A spectacular setting for a professional pyrotechnics show. Water reflects the colors, and the blasts echo off the surrounding mountains. 16. Explore a bronze foundry. Local foundries with nationally acclaimed artists show off sculptures and tricks of the trade. 17. Attend the Wallowa County Pancake Breakfast and Fly-In. Share an outdoor community breakfast at Joseph Airport with the Wallowa Mountains in the background, watch notable aircraft land and park for the day-long display, experiment with a flight simulator and get the opportunity to be airborne over upper Wallowa Valley - only a few of the attractions of this annual event. 18. Attend Lostine’s Flea Market. Through the e

Wallowa lake has healthy populations of both Kokanee and Trout with seasons that are open year-round. World renowned for its fishing, the lake now boasts eight state and one world record for Kokanee. In its deep dark waters lurk real monsters too- almost every year some lucky fisher person hauls out a Mackinaw Trout exceeding 22 pounds!

The Wallowa Lake Trailhead at the south end of Wallowa Lake provides a gateway into Oregon`s Largest Wilderness, The Eagle Cap. If you thought this area was beautiful from the outside, entering the wilderness will simply blow you away! The Eagle Cap is a real National Treasure yet still affords unparallelled peace and quiet, a rare quality in today`s world.

The Wallowa Lake Trailhead wallowa lake trailhead The Wallowa Lake Trailhead is at the end of Hwy 82, just 7 miles south of Joseph, Oregon. This is where you`ll find the main local trailhead into Oregon`s Largest Wilderness, The Eagle Cap. If you thought this area was beautiful from the outside, entering the wilderness will simply blow you away! The Eagle Cap is a true National Treasure, one that still affords unparalleled peace and quiet; a rare quality in today`s world. The Chief Joseph Trail, the Aneroid Lake (East Fork) Trail, and the West Fork Trail are the three main paths into wilderness from the Wallowa Lake area. Three other popular trails, Chief Joseph, BC Falls and Ice Lake branch from the West Fork Trail. Each provides the opportunity to day hike, trail run, horseback or backpack to one`s own ability. Easily reached vistas, wildflowers, and stunning mountain views are readily available for the casual hiker from this busy trailhead. The `Little Alps` state day-use area is adjacent with restrooms and picnic tables to provide a shady resting area before or after your hike. The trailhead includes a large turn-around with plenty of parking and a horse ramp and tying posts for stock. This is one of the few trailheads that does not require a NW park pass for parking as it is at the end of Hwy 82. You`ll still need to fill out a wilderness permit (free)- those are self-issue and are found at all the trailheads. Download a home-printable pdf map of this area Click to enlarge image wallowa-lake-trailhead-01.jpg Lakes Basin Click to enlarge image wallowa-lake-trailhead-02.jpg Trailhead Enterance Click to enlarge image wallowa-lake-trailhead-03.jpg Trail Marker Click to enlarge image wallowa-lake-trailhead-04.jpg Chief Joseph Trail Click to enlarge image wallowa-lake-trailhead-05.jpg Chief Joseph Trail Click to enlarge image wallowa-lake-trailhead-06.jpg West Fork Trail Click to enlarge image wallowa-lake-trailhead-07.jpg West Fork Trail Click to enlarge image wallowa-lake-trailhead-08.jpg West Fork Trail Click to enlarge image wallowa-lake-trailhead-09.jpg Ice Lake Trail Click to enlarge image wallowa-lake-trailhead-10.jpg Ice Lake Trail Click to enlarge image wallowa-lake-trailhead-11.jpg East Fork Trail Click to enlarge image wallowa-lake-trailhead-12.jpg East Fork Trail Next  •Home •NOAA Weather Lake Hiking •Joseph Hiking •Area Links FLYING ARROW RESORT, LLC • WALLOWA LAKE LODGING & CABINS 59782 Wallowa Lake Highway, Joseph, OR 97846 541-432-2951 JosephDigital Design & Development

Things in Wallowa County really slow down after fall but that doesn`t mean the fun ends. Several miles to the east of Wallowa Lake is the Salt Creek Summit Snow-Park . There you`ll find excellent snowmobiling and best of all, the area is uncrowded. Salt Creek Summit also has great non-motorized and marked cross-country loops for skiers, boarders and snowshoer`s.

Outside Joseph is the ski area called Fergie. It`s small with only a t-bar and rope-tow, but the relaxed and personable atmosphere makes it lots of fun, especially for kids.

For the intrepid the Eagle Cap offers snowshoeing and back-country skiing.

Winter is also a great time to come if you’re looking for peace and quiet- it might be just the cure for a frantic, noisy lifestyle.