Eastern Oregon - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 703

July. Contact the Wallowa Mountains Forest Service Office ( Click here ) in Joseph for de-
tails.
Sights & Activities
Hat Point VIEWPOINT
(USFS Rd 4240) High above the Snake River, the Hat Point fire lookout tower (elevation
6982ft) offers great views. On each side of the canyon, mountains soar toward 10,000ft,
with the Seven Devils on the Idaho side and the towering Wallowas on the Oregon side.
From Hat Point, a hiking trail edges off the side of the canyon. It's a steep 2 miles to
another vista from the top of the river cliffs, then another 4 miles down to the river itself.
To reach Hat Point from Joseph, follow Hwy 350 about 30 miles to the little hamlet of
Imnaha. From here, a good gravel road climbs up the Imnaha River canyon to Hat Point.
Allow at least 1½ hours each way for the 23.5-mile drive from Imnaha to Hat Point (16%
grade the first 6 miles); you'll be stopping for photos along the way. The road is gener-
ally open from June until October.
There are no services at Hat Point (other than picnic tables and restrooms), and Im-
naha has very few supplies. Get what you need in Joseph and come with a full tank of
gas.
Imnaha River Valley VALLEY
Just west of Hells Canyon, the Imnaha River digs a parallel canyon that offers pastoral
scenery in addition to astounding cliff faces.
The gravel Imnaha River Rd follows this narrow valley between Imnaha and the junc-
tion of USFS Rd 39 for about 40 miles. The northern end is very dramatic, as the river
cuts more and more deeply through stair-stepped lava formations. The southern end is
bucolic, with meadows and old farmhouses flanking the river.
North of Imnaha, a gravel-dirt road continues for 20 miles to Cow Creek Bridge,
where the Imnaha River Trail begins (about 4 miles one way). Two miles beyond the
bridge is the start of the Nee-Me-Poo Trail (which traces the path of Chief Joseph and the
Nez Percé); it climbs 3.7 miles to a viewpoint over the Snake River.
Hells Canyon Dam CANYON
Hells Canyon's most spectacular scenery is perhaps along the Snake River itself, follow-
ing 25 miles of paved road (Idaho's Rte 454) toward Hells Canyon Dam; here dramatic
canyon walls loom almost vertically. The road goes up the Idaho border but is accessed