The Wallowa Mountains, Wallowa Lake, Enterprise, Flora (a Ghost Town), and Elgin
I am always a bit surprised when I hear an Oregonian say that they have never seen the Wallowas, the Wallowa Mountains in northeast Oregon. I suppose it is not too surprising given the fact that the towns of Enterprise and Joseph are really not on the way to anywhere else—they are both destinations. Yes, SR 3 goes north from Enterprise to Clarkston, Washington and Lewiston, Idaho. But these are pretty much destinations as well.
Still, I always recommend an "out of the way" trip to this part of Oregon: the scenery is beautiful—rivers, valleys, small towns—and the Wallowa Mountains (sometimes called "the Alps of Oregon") are truly majestic.
A little background to the mountains. The Wallowas are a mountain range that runs aproximately 40 miles northwest to southeast in Wallowa and Union counties, between the "Blue Mountains to the west and the Snake River to the east. Much of the range is designated as the Eagle Cap Wilderness.
The range is drained by the Wallowa River, which flows from the north side of the mountains, and its tributary, the Minam River, which flows through the west side of the range. The Imnaha River flows from the east side of the range.
The highest point of the range is Sacajawea Peak, at 9,838 ft. Glaciers from the mountains carved out the valleys, which left a number of moraines. This can be seen at Wallowa Lake.
At Wallowa Lake and the State Park is a tram that takes one to 8,000 ft for hiking trails and beautiful views of the mountains. I took the tram, and it was spectacular, with relatively clear skies and no wind. You'll see the pictures here.
I parked myself in the town of Enterprise, the county seat of Wallowa County, with a population of about 2,000. The city was platted in 1886, and a post office was established in 1887. The city is a hub for local commerce, farming, stock, lumber, and sports hunting and fishing. Nearby Joseph has become a kind of "gentrified" small town with upscale dining, art shops, a bronze foundry, and the Chief Joseph Days Rodeo.
Just a word on Flora, an unincorporated community (and what I call a "ghost town") is located about 35 miles north of Enterprise. The town was platted in 1897, and it had a population of about 200 in 1910. The picture to the left, the Flora School, is about all that remains.
Finally, I stopped in Elgin, a city in Union County, with a population of 1,717. Elgin is along Oregon 82, a route that also includes the towns of Wallowa and Lostine. In the early days, Elgin was a gathering place for trappers and hunters to replenish supplies. The town grew when the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company railroad arrived from La Grande in 1890.
The one picture I have here of Elgin is the "Opera House," now the City Hall. Its original purpose was to bring some "culture" to this rural and rustic town. It still provides entertainment.
Still, I always recommend an "out of the way" trip to this part of Oregon: the scenery is beautiful—rivers, valleys, small towns—and the Wallowa Mountains (sometimes called "the Alps of Oregon") are truly majestic.
A little background to the mountains. The Wallowas are a mountain range that runs aproximately 40 miles northwest to southeast in Wallowa and Union counties, between the "Blue Mountains to the west and the Snake River to the east. Much of the range is designated as the Eagle Cap Wilderness.
The range is drained by the Wallowa River, which flows from the north side of the mountains, and its tributary, the Minam River, which flows through the west side of the range. The Imnaha River flows from the east side of the range.
The highest point of the range is Sacajawea Peak, at 9,838 ft. Glaciers from the mountains carved out the valleys, which left a number of moraines. This can be seen at Wallowa Lake.
At Wallowa Lake and the State Park is a tram that takes one to 8,000 ft for hiking trails and beautiful views of the mountains. I took the tram, and it was spectacular, with relatively clear skies and no wind. You'll see the pictures here.
I parked myself in the town of Enterprise, the county seat of Wallowa County, with a population of about 2,000. The city was platted in 1886, and a post office was established in 1887. The city is a hub for local commerce, farming, stock, lumber, and sports hunting and fishing. Nearby Joseph has become a kind of "gentrified" small town with upscale dining, art shops, a bronze foundry, and the Chief Joseph Days Rodeo.
Just a word on Flora, an unincorporated community (and what I call a "ghost town") is located about 35 miles north of Enterprise. The town was platted in 1897, and it had a population of about 200 in 1910. The picture to the left, the Flora School, is about all that remains.
Finally, I stopped in Elgin, a city in Union County, with a population of 1,717. Elgin is along Oregon 82, a route that also includes the towns of Wallowa and Lostine. In the early days, Elgin was a gathering place for trappers and hunters to replenish supplies. The town grew when the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company railroad arrived from La Grande in 1890.
The one picture I have here of Elgin is the "Opera House," now the City Hall. Its original purpose was to bring some "culture" to this rural and rustic town. It still provides entertainment.
A view of Wallowa Lake at the State Park
Wallowa Lake seen from the tram rising to 8,000 ft
The Flora Educational Center (1915) in the ghost town of Flora
A view of the Wallowa Mountains and its highest peak, Sacajawea, (9,838 ft)
The Elgin Opera House, designed by architect John L. Slater of La Grande, was built in 1912 as a civic gathering space. It is now City Hall.