High Wallowa Loop National Recreation Trail #1813

People walking down a sandy trail with mountains in background

The High Wallowa Loop National Recreation Trail (#1813) is composed of a main loop trail and two side spurs going to the Royal Purple Overlook and the Northern Overlook. All three trails total about 1.2 miles. The trail begins on top of Mount Howard at the Wallowa Lake Tramway building and loops around the mountain top. The summit provides spectacular views of the Wallowa Mountains, the deep blue waters of Wallowa Lake, the majestic peaks of the Eagle Cap Wilderness, the distant Seven Devil Mountains of Idaho and the Wallowa Valley below with the communities of Joseph, Enterprise, and Wallowa in the distance. The gondola is the steepest vertical lift for a four passenger gondola in North America.

Difficulty level: Overall 'easy' to 'more difficult'

At a Glance

Current Conditions:	Current Conditions
Reservations:	This site is not reservable.
Fees:	No fees are required for this site. However to access the trail by way of the Wallowa Lake Tramway you will need to purchase a tram ticket. The tram operates from late May through early September.
Open Season:	Late May
Usage:	Heavy
Restrictions:	General rules of use and restrictions apply for this developed recreation site.
Closest Towns:	Joseph, Oregon (6 miles ); Enterprise, Oregon (12 miles)
Water:	No
Restroom:	At Wallowa Lake Tramway
Operated By:	Wallowa Lake Tramway
Information Center:	Wallowa Mountains Office

General Information

Directions:

From Joseph, Oregon travel south on Highway 351 for 6 miles around Wallowa Lake to the Wallowa Lake Tramway; The trail can be accessed from the tramway.