Petroglyph Day Trip from Joseph

 Snake river petroglyph site near Joseph Oregon

 

 

 

 

 

It's a nice day trip from the Mountain View Motel & RV Park near Joseph in the northeastern corner of Oregon,  to see petroglyphs along the Snake River at the Buffalo Eddy historical site.

The artwork at Buffalo Eddy is attributed to the the Nimí'pu (Nez Perce), who created the art between 300 and 4,500 years ago, according to the National Park Service. The symbols are preserved on both the Washington and Idaho sides of the river, but the glyphs on the Idaho side can only be viewed from the water, which makes for a popular tour boat stop. Buffalo Eddy takes its name from some of the pictures on the Idaho side, which depict bison and hunters on horseback.

HOW TO GET TO BUFFALO EDDY FROM THE MT VIEW MOTEL

To get there from the motel, turn left (north) on the Snake River Scenic Byway (Hwy 82) to Enterprise, then turn right at the Chevron station onto Oregon Route 3 toward Flora and Lewiston, Idaho. Fill up on gas in Enterprise because the next fuel is 79 miles north in Asotin, Washington, and these directions take a road that cuts off before then.

Two miles north of Enterprise, you may see buffalo grazing at Stangel Bison Ranch. Grass fed bison meat from the ranch is locally available at The Dollar Stretcher Grocery Store at Enterprise and at several local restaurants.

JOSEPH CANYON VIEWPOINT

At 21.6 miles you will enter the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest with many roads and trails to explore sometime. 

The pullout at Joseph Canyon Viewpoint, 30 miles north of Enterprise, features a beautiful vista of Joseph Canyon, where, tradition says, Chief Joseph was born in a cave about 2,000 feet below.  Joseph's band sometimes wintered at the base of the canyon along Joseph Creek.

There are interpretive signs and vault toilets at the pullout

RATTLESNAKE GRADE

After about seven more miles, the road starts to wind down the switchbacks of Rattlesnake Grade. It's a striking landscape with the Grand Ronde River at the bottom. You'll cross into Washington on this stretch and the road turns into Hwy 129. Bogan's Oasis on the river is the only place on this trip to eat or get an order to go. If Bogan's is closed, there is another public restroom down the driveway on the right, next to the river where rafters put in. Then the highway continues snaking back up to the top of the plateau.

Just after leaving the trees past the Fields Spring State Park entrance, look for Montgomery Rd. on the right (58 miles past Enterprise). Follow this road east for 19 miles down to the Snake River. It turns from asphalt to dirt and changes to Sherry Grade Rd., then Crouse Creek Rd., before meeting the Snake River Rd.

BUFFALO EDDY PETROGLYPH SITE

Turn right on Snake River Rd. and drive 4.5 miles to the Buffalo Eddy Petroglyph pullout. There is an interpretive sign and a short trail along the river's edge. It leads to a tumble of rocks with many ancient symbols scratched into them. How many can you find?

 

BONUS

You can tell people you've been to the deepest canyon in North America! Carved by the Snake River, it marks the border between Oregon and Idaho. The river lies more than a mile below the rim in Oregon and 8,000 feet below the highest peak of Idaho's Seven Devils Mountains. The best way to explore it is with a Hells Canyon Adventures guided tour.

 

 

 

When Squirrels Fly

If you see a small squirrel-sized animal gliding through the air at night in the forest around Joseph, it just might be a flying squirrel.

They are usually active for a couple of hours after sunset and for a little more than an hour before sunrise. Flying squirrels love wild mushrooms and they help spread fungi spores through the forest.

You can learn all about flying squirrels, where to spot them, and how to promote habitat for them on your property, at a free presentation by Todd Wilson, PhD, at Wallowalogy in Joseph on May 10 at 7 pm. Call 541-263-1663  for info.

For wildlife viewing opportunities in Oregon, check out the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Weekly Recreation Report to discover what wild animals are out and about and where you might spot them.

Mountain Biking in the Wallowas



Photo courtesy of Brian Sather, the Grizzly Ridge Trail near Imnaha. lagranderide.com/rideguide/mountain-bike/joseph

Mountain bikers who plan to do some riding in Wallowa County should check out the network of mapped, signed and maintained trails south of Joseph, which are promoted by the Wallowa Chamber of Commerce with maps and instructions. Trailheads are near Ferguson Ridge Snow Park, 14 miles south of Joseph, and at the Salt Creek Summit pull-out, 19 miles south of town. Riding season is typically mid-June to the end of October.



The Redmont Trail Area near Joseph, Oregon

The trails lie mostly within the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest and include rides suitable for beginner to advanced. Bike riders will find a mix of single track, double track, and dirt/gravel roads that traverse forested terrain with several meadow openings that reveal views of the mountains.

A contributor to the in the mtbr forum says the Redmont Trail has "some decent tread for about a 14-mile loop." Another wasn't quite as impressed due to an undesirable amount of double track and overgrown roads. But from reading the Wallowa Chamber's website, it looks like more energy has gone into rider hospitality in recent years.

Even so, MTB opportunities are limited in the Wallowa area despite the profusion of wide open country and public lands. For example, no bikes are allowed on the trails around Wallowa State Park and much of the surrounding forest beyond the park is Wilderness. The beautiful grasslands of  Zumwalt Prairie north of town are also off limits to bikes.

Mountain bikers are naturally attracted to the idea of hauling their gear up Howard Mountain on the Tram on the south end of Wallowa Lake, but that desire is unfortunately not supported by the owners at this time.

There are a few other cool rides you may want to check out on the way to Joseph. The Elkhorn Crest Trail near Baker offers single track, and there are riding opportunities between Enterprise and the Grande Ronde River in the Sled Springs OHV area along State Hwy 82.

 
For detailed insights about these trails and other possibilities, check MTB enthusiast Brian Sather's Mountain Bike Guides for Joseph on LaGrande Ride Inc,

Do you need a gift idea?

Wallowa Chamber bucks are the gift that keeps giving locally

When there is someone you want to honor or appreciate, think local. Do you have special guests coming to town? Give the gift that uniquely says "Wallowa County" with a Chamber Buck gift certificate. They come in denominations of $10 and $25.

Recipients can spend the bucks around the county to acquire basic needs or treats. It's a 360 win. The recipients are happy, the businesses are happy, and the local community benefits when value circulates locally. That's a lot of  happy people, so why not head down to the Wallowa County Chamber of Commerce office in Enterprise today and trade some federal reserve notes for genuine Wallowa Buckskin Bucks?

From hanging floral baskets to massages, computer supplies, groceries, overnight lodgings, food, hardware, clothing, jewelry, art, fishing tackle, pet grooming, a quilt, propane, or even an espresso, there are many ways to share the love with Wallowa Buckskin Bucks.

Be sure to tell the recipients they have one year from the purchase date written on their bucks to redeem their certificates.

Wallowa bucks are gladly accepted at the following businesses, so check them out and let your gifting imagination run wild: (Look for campaign decals on participating storefronts.)

The list of businesses on the back of the bucks may become slightly out-of-date, so be sure to check the Wallowa County Buy Local Web page for the current list of participants.

• Alder Slope Nursery
• Anton's Home & Hearth
• Arrowhead Chocolates
• Backyard Gardens
• Bee Charmed Marketplace
• Bird Dog Signs
• Blue Mountain Computer
• Bronze Antler B&B, Inc.
• Cabin Fever Cafe & NW Marketplace
• Camerons Wallowa County Ace Hardware
• Carpet One
• Cattle Country Quilts
• Copper Creek Mercantile
• Deb's Apparel & Gifts
• Embers Brew House
• Enterprise Animal Hospital
• Enterprise Flower Shop
• Favorite Finds on Main - Antiques
• Joseph Fly Shoppe, LLC
• Joseph Hardware, Inc.
• Lamb Trading Company, LLC
• Longhorn Espresso
• M. Crow & Company
• Mad Mary's
• Marcy's Skin Care
• Mt. Joseph Family Foods
• Outlaw Restaurant & Saloon
• Phinney Gallery of Fine Art
• Pioneer West, Inc.
• Radiant Massage
• Red Horse Coffee Traders
• Red Rooster Cafe
• Ruby Peak Naturals
• Simply Sandy's
• Stein Distillery, Inc.
• Stewart Jones Designs
• Stubborn Mule Saloon & Steakhouse
• Sugar Time Bakery
• Tempting Teal Boutique
• The Blonde Strawberry
• The Bookloft
• The Dollar Stretcher
• The Peace Pipe
• The Sheep Shed
• The Sports Corral, Inc.
• Timber Bronze 53 LLC
• to Zion
• Vali's Alpine Restaurant, LLC
• Wallowa County Grain Growers
• Wallowa County Nursery
• Wallowa Food City
• Wild Carrots Herbals

Inspired by Historical Emergency Scrip

The present-day Buckskin Bucks were inspired by the emergency scrip that was printed on leather and issued in Enterprise during the Great Depression, when the county's general fund ran dry, but there were plenty of deer hides.

The original Wallowa County Bucks are collector's items that occasionally pop up online. As of this writing, one is for sale on E-bay for $225. Who knows -- maybe in 100 years today's Buckskin Bucks will be collectible as well.

Today's Bucks are part of the Wallowa Chamber's pragmatic year-round shop local campaign, "Think First Wallowa County." The program is sponsored by the Chamber, Community Bank, and Esprit.