Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Recreation

THE EAGLE CAP WILDERNESS

• Introduction to The Eagle Cap Wilderness
• Regulations for the Eagle Cap Wilderness
• Majestic Eagle Cap Wilderness
• Lakes Basin Management Area
• List of Trails
• Trailhead Locations
• Elevations in Eagle Cap Wilderness
• Current Information, Trail Conditions, Maps
• Current Issues
• Volunteer Projects
• Wild and Scenic Rivers: Lostine, Eagle Creek, Imnaha, Minam

The Eagle Cap Wilderness lies in the heart of the Wallowa Mountains in northeastern Oregon on the Wallowa -Whitman National Forest. This country was first occupied by the ancestors of the Nez Perce Indian Tribe in 1400 A.D. and later the Cayuse, the Shoshone and Bannocks. The Eagle Cap Wilderness itself was used as hunting grounds for bighorn sheep and deer and to gather huckleberries. It was the summer home to the Joseph Band of the Nez Perce tribe. 1860 marked the year the first settlers moved into the Wallowa Valley. In 1930, the Eagle Cap was established as a primitive area.  It was designated as wilderness in 1940. The Wilderness Act of 1964 placed the area in the National Wilderness Preservation System. It was enlarged by 73,410 acres in 1972, and by 67,711 acres in 1984 and now totals 361,446 acres of Wilderness.

The Eagle Cap Wilderness is characterized by high alpine lakes and meadows, bare granite peaks and ridges, and U-shaped glaciated valleys. One is constantly reminded that nature operates on her own terms with her own rhythms that may not match our structural lives. Each season comes and goes bringing with it new challenges and adventures. We truly hope you will find these experiences here and carry with you a memory that will last a life time. These memories can only be left to future generations when we all take part in an effort to respect and care for wilderness. Doing your part is vital to the future of Eagle Cap. Please plan your trip carefully, know the current regulations and seek specific information from the Forest and districts. For additional wilderness recreation information access the links listed above or use the ASK Us feature on the home page.
 
Wildlife, Forests, and Wildflowers

In the vast 361,446 acre Eagle Cap Wilderness you will find an array of exquisite wildflowers, small groves of old growth forest, and a variety of interesting wildlife. In the summer months, white-tailed deer, mule deer, and Rocky Mountain elk roam the Eagle Cap Wilderness. Black bears are seen on occasion eating huckleberries alongside a creek and cougars hide out among the forest and rocky outcroppings. On rare occasions, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep or mountain goats can be seen. Smaller mammals that inhabit the area year-round include the pika, pine martens, badgers, squirrels, and marmots are sometimes heard in the brush or amongst the rocks. Keep your eyes to the sky for peregrine falcon, bald eagle, golden eagle, ferruginous hawk, or the gray-crowned rosy finch.
 
Plant communities range from low elevation grasslands and ponderosa pine forest to alpine meadows. Engelmann spruce, larch, mountain hemlock, sub-alpine fir and whitebark pine can be found in the higher elevations. Across the meadows you might spot a variety of Indian paintbrush, sego lilies, elephanthead, larkspur, shooting star, and bluebells.
 
Visiting the Eagle Cap Wilderness

Hikers and horseback riders can choose from approximately 534 miles of trails in the Eagle Cap Wilderness. Trailheads are located on all sides of the wilderness, with access from the counties of Wallowa, Union, and Baker. Upon entrance to the wilderness visitors are taken back to a time when travel was without automobiles, bicycles and before the luxury of mechanized equipment.  

Permits and Passes

A Northwest Forest Pass is necessary for parking at Eagle Cap Wilderness Trailheads. 

As you prepare for your wilderness adventure, plan to obtain a Northwest Forest Pass before arriving at the trailhead. These mandatory passes cost $30 per year, or $5 per day, and will be for sale at all Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Offices, the Wallowa Mountains Visitor Center in Enterprise, or at local businesses in the towns of, Wallowa, Enterprise, Joseph, Wallowa Lake, La Grande, Elgin and Baker City. Northwest Forest Passes may also be available at commercial outlets and national forest offices in other locations around Oregon and Washington. You can also obtain passes online at naturenw.org, or by calling 800-270-7504. The passes will allow visitors to park at many other national forest trailheads across Washington and Oregon.

All wilderness visitors to the Eagle Cap Wilderness must obtain a required Wilderness Visitor Permit before entering the area. Only one permit per group is necessary, and there is no fee for the permits. The self issue Registration/Permit boxes are located at each trailhead near the information board. Place the trailhead copy of the permit in the registration box and carry the visitor portion with you while in the wilderness. It is helpful to have the permit tied to a backpack or saddlebags where Wilderness Rangers can see them.

When To Go and Wilderness Weather

Winter months bring heavy snowfall to the Eagle Cap Wilderness area, causing many of the trails in the wilderness to be blocked with snowbanks through June and early July. For backcountry skiing opportunities, contact the Wallowa Mountains Visitor Center (541-426-5596) or an Outfitter Guide.

The summer and fall season typically begins at the end of June on the lower elevation trails and runs to the end of November. High elevation trails are usually snow free from mid-July though September. Visitors should plan to check with the Wallowa Mountains Visitor Center to be sure your route of travel is accessible. Always come prepared with an ax and shovel for unexpected trail damage or down trees.
 
The Eagle Cap Wilderness is the most heavily used wilderness in northeast Oregon, with the Lakes Basin Management Area the most popular. With the large size of the wilderness and the extensive trail system visitors should find many opportunities for solitude. Solitude is an important part of a wilderness adventure. To assure yourself of this atmosphere avoid holidays, travel on a weekday, in early spring or after Labor Day, and visit areas other than the Lakes Basin. Listed below are trails of high use which visitors may want to avoid during the peak season:

• The Lakes Basin (includes the following lakes: Mirror, Moccasin, Minam, Upper, Sunshine, Glacier, Frazier, Little Frazier, Douglas, Crescent, Lee, and Horseshoe)
• East Fork Wallowa
• West Fork Wallowa
• Hurricane Creek
• East Fork Lostine
• West Fork Lostine

Grazing In The Eagle Cap Wilderness
 
Historically domestic sheep and cattle have grazed this area of northeastern Oregon since the 1800's when animals were herded between the Snake River, Joseph Canyon, and the lower Imnaha Country for winter range. The higher elevations of the Eagle Caps were used as summer range. Today the herds have greatly decreased in number but grazing, authorized by a Forest Service permit, still exists in the Eagle Cap Wilderness. There are currently three active allotments, one sheep allotment and two cattle. The sheep graze in the Mount Nebo area from early July to September. The cattle are located in the southern portion of the wilderness from July to September depending on weather conditions. Grazing impacts are minimal as ranchers and herdsmen work with Forest Service managers to monitor grazing activities closely under annual operating plans. These grazing activities still exist in wilderness due to the 1964 Wilderness Act which allows some traditional activities to continue as long as wilderness values are not compromised. Take time to listen and watch the incredible communication between the herder or cowboys, dogs, and animals.
 
Outfitters and Guides
 
A number of Outfitters and Guides offer wilderness trips using backpacks, horses, llamas, mules, and skis under permit from the Forest Service. Many outfitters offer a range of opportunities from drop camps to deluxe services. Call the Wallowa Mountains Visitor Center for a complete list of permittees. Refer to the Outfitter Guide section for more detailed information on services provided in each wilderness.

Current Information and Trail Conditions

• Recreation Report
• Wallowa Mountains Visitor Center (541) 426-5546
• Map order form

Maps and Additional Information
 
Several companies are producing up-to-date, detailed hiking maps of the Eagle Cap Wilderness. They are available through recreational and sporting goods stores in the towns of Wallowa, Enterprise, and Joseph. You can also purchase a map of this wilderness from the Forest Service offices throughout the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, from the Wallowa Mountains Visitor Center, or see the map order form.

Current Issues and Opportunities in the Eagle Cap Wilderness

The Role of Fire In Wilderness

Fire is a natural and important part of the wilderness ecosystem. The Eagle Cap Wilderness has a Prescribed Natural Fire Plan which directs managers to allow lightning caused fires to burn when they mimic natural occurrences. In addition, managers will occasionally ignite a fire under special prescriptions to reduce unnatural full loads so that future lightning caused fires may be allowed to burn. The Wallowa Mountains Visitor Center has current information on fire situations.

Wilderness Planning

Wilderness managers continue to monitor conditions and visitor use to ensure that Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) Standards are not being exceeded, as required by law. This monitoring is done through campsite inventory, visitor permits, water quality monitoring, range condition and trend, and other methods. As a result of past monitoring, it has been determined that visitor use exceeds capacity on some popular trails and in some areas during some times of the year. This primarily occurs on trails leading into the Lakes Basin area and in the Lakes Basin on weekends and holidays in July and August. Managers will now collect information on biophysical resources to determine if this level of use is causing a degradation of the biophysical resources beyond established limits.

If you have comments or would like more information, see the Eagle Cap Wilderness contact page.

Wilderness Restoration

During the summer and early fall, volunteers and wilderness rangers will continue to obliterate and revegetate abandoned trails and illegal campsites in the Lakes Basin Management Area and in other areas of the wilderness. The project will correct drainage problems, make illegal campsites unusable, fill eroded areas with soil and re-plant native grasses, shrubs, and trees.

You may observe temporary signs or possibly a rope barrier around some sites. Please stay out of these areas and give them time to recover. If you would like more information about these wilderness restoration projects, please see the Eagle Cap Wilderness contact page.

Volunteer Projects

See also the W-W Volunteering page

Welcome and thank you for your interest in the volunteer programs and opportunities in the Eagle Cap Ranger District. The word "volunteer" is a magical word to those who have utilized the power of a volunteer. The power is unleashed when you see what kind of service is graciously given for what the volunteer gets in return. It is not, however, the mighty dollar these volunteers are after, they are seeking far more. To many, it is the satisfaction of contributing to something they believe in and enjoy. To others volunteering provides a means to meet new people, and some seek challenge both of mind and body. At any rate, volunteers have for decades dedicated thousands of hours to Forest Service projects. Many of these projects would not have been completed without this strong force of people. When budgets have declined and districts are unsure how they will complete their work, volunteers have come out of the woodwork to fill this gap. They take an active role in the management of our public lands and are greatly appreciated for their incorrigible dedication to service.

The U.S. Forest Service continues to welcome those who are interested in challenging opportunities found in managing forest resources. There is a guarantee in this experience, you will see new country, meet new people, and share in a wealth of ideas. Join us in trail maintenance, wilderness ranger work, being campground hosts, interpreters, or visitor information assistants. The opportunities are endless for volunteers. Join us in the experience of a new adventure.

The Eagle Cap Ranger District is currently seeking eager volunteers ready for adventure and challenge. Spring, summer, and fall projects are in the planning phase with hopes to kick off the work season by June. A variety of opportunities are available. Volunteer Wilderness Rangers work full-time for the summer season to assist with visitor information and education, campsite inventory and cleanup, and restoration projects in the backcountry. The volunteer Wilderness Stewards program provides the same opportunity for those willing to commit the equivalent of 3 weekends per season. For more information please see the Eagle Cap Wilderness contact page.