White Bird Battlefi eld: History sewn in the soil of White Bird Canyon

Lots happening at high-mountain retreat in Oregon

Wallowa Lake has drawn visitors for ages; these days, it features both outdoor and indoor attractions

LEFT AND BELOW: Joe Jaquith, of Newberg, Ore., scoops up a rainbow trout as he fishes at Wallowa Lake outside Joseph, Ore., earlier this spring.

August Frank/ For Daytripping

By MATT BANEY

FOR DAYTRIPPING

High in the mountains of northeastern Oregon lies Wallowa Lake, a ribbon-shaped body of water people have been visiting for hundreds of years to catch a respite from the summer heat.

These days, the 1,500-acre lake is the centerpiece of a state park. And while summer is still the most popular time to visit, the park is open to campers year-round and the nearby town of Joseph, Ore., is geared toward tourism throughout the year.

Wallowa Lake State Park, located about 100 miles south of the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley, offers a wide array of outdoor activities: camping, hiking, biking, fishing, boating, swimming and wildlife-spotting. And if members of your party decide they’ve had enough nature, there are also charming dining and shopping options. The area’s most notable feature might be the Wallowa Lake Tramway, which first opened in 1970 and is billed as the steepest gondola in America. Those who pay for tickets, which cost between $30 and $40 per person, get to ride 82 3 a tram car up a ridge of Howard Mountain, Enterprise E t gaining about 3,700 feet of elevation 82 along the way. At the top (8,150 feet Joseph h above sea level) is the Summit Grill, which, like the tramway, Wallowa Lake is open from May O R E G O N until early October. There are also some easy-to-navigate hiking trails at the top.

Most visitors to the park will end up spending time at the lake, which is fed by glacial runoff from the surrounding Wallowa Mountains. The beautiful high-mountain setting must have appealed to the Nez Perce Tribe, which had bands that lived in the area before the encroachment of white settlers. It’s not hard to spend money at Wallowa, between the tramway, rental options, lodging and restaurants. But those looking for a cheap and simple outing can have that too, if they pack a lunch and stick to the free amenities the park offers. n

August Frank/For Daytripping A sign near the Wallowa Lake Trailhead warns people of the last time a bear was sighted in the area outside Joseph, Ore.

> Wallowa Lake State Park

LOCATION: From the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley, travel south on State Route 129 through Asotin, Anatone and over Rattlesnake Grade. The route becomes Highway 3 at the Oregon border. At Enterprise, Ore., turn east on Highway 82, which leads to Joseph, Ore., and the park. Total drive time is about 2 hours and 15 minutes.

WHAT YOU’LL DO: Hiking, biking, fishing, boating, swimming and, if you’ve got the time, camping.

DIFFICULTY: 1 to 3 out of 5, depending on what you do. Some visitors journey here for a low-stress picnic; others work up a sweat hiking, biking or paddling.

DON’T FORGET: Water, snacks, camera, sunscreen ... and money. Even if you’re planning an economical trip, you’ll probably end up spending a few bucks.

NEZ PERCE HOMELAND: The Wallowa Valley was part of the Nez Perce Tribe’s traditional homeland and was the home of the famous Chief Joseph. Last year, the tribe acquired a property called Am’sáaxpa, or place of the boulders, that is a traditional campsite where Joseph spent time before the War of 1877.

Recreation abounds behind massive Dworshak

Dam completed in 1973 created reservoir that can be enjoyed by boaters, campers, hikers and anglers

By ANGELA PALERMO

FOR DAYTRIPPING

Among the trees and meadows near Orofino lies the Dworshak Dam and Reservoir, a haven for boaters, campers, hikers and anglers alike. The dam, on the North Fork of the Clearwater River about 35 miles east of Lewiston, is the highest straight-axis, concrete gravity dam in North America and the largest of its type ever constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers, according to the Corps’ Northwestern Division. The 19,000-acre reservoir extends upstream for roughly 54 miles into the Clearwater National Forest in the Bitterroot Mountains. It was created after the dam was completed in 1973. Each summer, about 1 million acre-feet of water is released from deep below the reservoir’s surface to cool temperatures in the lower Snake River and help juvenile salmon and steelhead migrate to the Pacific Ocean. The Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the dam, is charged with flood control, power production and providing water downstream for fish produced at the Dworshak National Fish Hatchery.

However, the fish-friendly operation lowers the reservoir by about 80 feet between July and September, cutting the summer recreation season short on the man-made lake. Those who head to the area for camping should plan to go before the end of July to avoid the muddy ring between the water and campsites, sometimes 100 feet or more.

After the Fourth of July weekend, water at Dworshak — the third tallest dam in the U.S. — can start dropping at a rate of about 2 feet per day because of the annual drawdown.

Roughly 30,000 acres of land surrounding the reservoir are used for public recreation, wildlife habitat and timber facilities. Dworshak State Park includes Freeman Creek Campground, Three Meadows Group Camp, and Big Eddy Lodge and Marina.

Many campgrounds on the reservoir are accessible only by boat. Day-use locations within the park are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The dam’s visitor center is open five days a week during the spring, fall and winter, and seven days a week during the summer. Those seeking tour times may call the visitor center at (208) 476-1255. n

TOP: This photo taken with a drone shows Dworshak Dam and Reservoir near Orofino. ABOVE: Marcia Trussell, left, keeps ahold of her fishing pole as Ted Mordhorst goes in with the net as they work to land a steelhead on the North Fork of the Clearwater River near Dworshak Dam in February 2021 in Ahsahka. After the steelhead swam back out, Trussell was able to bring it back into shore a second time where Mordhorst successfully netted the fish, which measured 36 inches.

Elk River

Dworshak Dam and Reservoir

Headquarters

> Dworshak Dam and Reservoir

LOCATION: From Orofino, travel west on Idaho Highway 7/Riverside Avenue for about 5 miles, then turn right on Viewpoint Road and drive 2½ miles to the main parking area near the top of the dam. Boat launches are available at other spots on the reservoir.

WHAT YOU’LL DO: Touring the dam, fishing, boating, camping and hiking.

DIFFICULTY: 2 out of 5.

DON’T FORGET: Fishing gear, fishing license, swimsuits, sunscreen, drinks and snacks.

NEARBY SITES OF INTEREST: Dworshak National Fish Hatchery, Nez Perce National Historic Trail.