Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest is an area characterized by dry weather, cold winters, and hot summers. The Forest is located in the northeastern corner of Oregon and includes sections of Hells Canyon and the Snake River, on the border of Idaho, as well as the granite Wallowa and Blue Mountain ranges. The Forest is close to Baker City and La Grande. The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest provides you with a great opportunity to actually escape to the outdoors and leave the crowds behind.

In this National Forest you may see a great variety of wildlife, including more big-game species than any other forest in Oregon and Washington. Over 350 species of wildlife can be found here. Species include mule deer, Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep, elk, mountain goats, cougars, bob cats, Pacific Rattle snake, rubber boa snake, golden eagle, and bald eagle.

Many of the towns in the surrounding area sprang up as a result of mining and the activities associated with it. Sheep and cattle browse on approximately 1,868,000 acres of grazing land. You'll see forests of ponderosa pine, western larch, Douglas, and other firs. These forests are managed as sustainable ecosystems to provide clean water, wildlife habitat, recreation, and valuable forest products. You may want to visit the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area (HCNRA) designated by Congress in 1975. It includes the Hells Canyon Wilderness and Rapid and Snake River segments of the National Wild and Scenic River System.

The Forest is the setting for year-around recreation. In winter you can enjoy downhill and cross-country skiing and snowmobiling at many areas of the Forest, including Anthony Lakes Ski Area, 40 miles northwest of Baker. Hells Canyon is beautiful in spring. You can enjoy 900 miles of hiking trails and great hiking loops, white-water boating, mild temperatures, and colorful wildflowers. Spend your summers fishing and swimming in the Forest's many lakes, rivers, streams, and reservoirs, backpacking across more than 2,000 miles of varied hiking trails, or mountain biking on numerous dirt roads and singletrack trails. Most of the Forest's trails are free of snow from July to October. You can camp at one of the many campgrounds on the Forest, perhaps at Union Creek Campground (20 miles south of Baker) with its modern facilities and lakeshore accommodations. Brilliant fall colors will delight you as you drive the National Scenic Byways and the several hundred miles of roads maintained for passenger car travel.

With over 2,300 miles of sparkling streams and 130 lakes and reservoirs to choose from, the Forest and surrounding area has the perfect fishing hole for the experienced or beginning angler. From the bottom of Hell's Canyon to the high country of the Wallowa Mountains or Elkhorn Range, a variety of fish await your discovery. Try the Snake River for crappie, bluegills, perch, bullheads, bass, and sturgeon (sturgeon must be released). Many high country lakes are stocked with rainbow trout; area reservoirs contain rainbow trout, large and smallmouth bass, crappie, bass, and coho salmon (in the Phillips Reservoir).