A Trip to Joseph, OR
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 Columbia River on I-84, near the town of Pendelton, everything suddenly became lusher and greener. I’d often heard the area surrounding Wallowa Lake called Little Switzerland, and as we approached, I could see the comparison. In fact, the following day, during a run through the Iwetemlaykin Interpretive Trail, my mind busted into ‘The hills are alive with the Sound of Music’. Austria, I know, but the wildflowers blooming against the green rolling hills and backdrop of snowcapped mountains definitely conjured the sentiment.
My family opted to stay in Joseph at a short-term rental. A great location, walking distance from the lake, but the lodging was minimalist with little character. It had the necessities, just nothing extraordinary that might add a unique vibe to the stay, except maybe a few well taken photographs converted into large canvases on the walls. With a limited number of lodging options in the small town of less than 1000, next time we will know to reserve earlier or avoid bringing Loki, our pup. The choices dimmish quickly when pets are involved.
The slow pace of life in Joseph adds to the charm — twenty miles per hour down Main Street, historical brick buildings, and local shops and restaurants, most of which close by 5–6pm and seem to keep whatever hours they want. The town would benefit from a dog park and possibly a few other amenities, but the locals would probably agree that the town is big enough.
The nearby village at Wallowa State Park probably has more people than Joseph, at least in summer. Putt Putt, Bumper Boats, Go-Karts, gift shops — the area has a Gatlinburg or Branson amusement park feel to it. Still, the location right on the lake makes it pretty amazing.
We arrived for our first dinner just in time at the Gold Room, located in one of many well-built, historical brick buildings. The hotter than expected day gave way to a cool breeze while we sat in the courtyard eating delicious wood fired pizzas and watching the aspens, even the baby ones, blow in the gentle wind.
Patience is a valuable skill in the post-Covid world. Service is slow. Restaurants, shops, and other businesses are understaffed, yet we, the tourists are out in force. All I can say is please be considerate and possibly tip better.
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, Niki. 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, Niki and I meandered off on our own, enjoying the scenery, chatting with others, and admiring the Seven Devils way over in Idaho. Wildflowers were abundant. Phlox, Oregon Sunshine, and hints of lupine just sprouting added colors to an already amazing landscape. We ended up off path, not too much, but enough for our daughters to get worried when we took so long to return. They had turned back after the vista.
Another unique experience was spent pedaling the train tracks from Joseph to Enterprise and back with Joseph Branch Railriders. The girls pedaled the railrider hard through the valley, or at least Kaia did. Sofi took in the views I guess.
In nearby Enterprise we explored a few shops and ended up at Terminal Gravity Brewing for dinner. 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 — a large shady courtyard, plenty of good beers, decent food, and lots of cool swag to purchase.
Finally, the highlight of the trip, and the reason we wanted to visit so badly, was the Eagle Cap Wilderness. The largest wilderness in Oregon and one of the biggest in the entire US, the area covers over 350,000 acres. We barely made a dent, but what we saw was incredible.
Apparently, the best bang for your buck without overnighting, we opted for the Hurricane Creek Trail. As we walked waterfalls rushed from the snow melt on the mountain tops, wildflowers were blooming everywhere, and the streams flowed vigorously. Loki played in water at every possible chance. We cooled off at least a few times. So vast and mostly empty, we had the place to ourselves besides a few other hikers during the day. Upon reaching the snow bridge where the river ruthlessly carved a tunnel under the snow, both Niki and I wanted to continue, but the time was getting late, and the girls were ready to turn around.
I could continue with other lesser highlights of an amazing trip, but I’ll save the energy for another time. One thing for certain, the Wallowas immediately became one of our favorite spots in Oregon, and honestly, in the entire Pacific Northwest. We will return.
