This 218-mile Oregon Drive Winds Past Charming Towns, Dozens of Lakes, and North America’s Deepest Canyon

Key Points

• The 218-mile Hells Canyon Scenic Byway links North America's deepest river gorge with the lake-dotted Wallowa Mountains.

• Summer and fall offer the best conditions for driving the entire route since snow closes a key mountain section in winter and spring.

• Travelers can stop for hiking, rafting, boating, mountain views, historic sites, small towns, and overnight stays along the route.

Hands down, one of the best parts of going on a road trip is the sights. One hour, you could be cruising along a coastline ; the next, weaving through a forest. But few routes pack as much grandeur into a couple hundred miles as Oregon's Hells Canyon Scenic Byway.

It's not exactly a household name, and it threads through the northeastern part of Oregon. The nearest major metropolis, Boise, Idaho, is over two hours away by car, while Portland is farther still at over four hours. But it's worth making the trip along Interstate 84 to seek out this scenic byway—where else can you encounter a canyon deeper than the Grand Canyon and lake-dotted mountains in just one trip?

Stretching 218 miles, the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway takes drivers to two of the country's most spectacular but least-known natural wonders: Hells Canyon and the Wallowa Mountains. Straddling the Oregon–Idaho border, Hells Canyon is a ragged, rocky slit in the earth, carved out by the Snake River and framed by looming granite and basalt cliffs. At 7,993 feet deep, it's the deepest river gorge in North America, surpassing the Grand Canyon's 6,093 feet.

Next door to this plunging chasm stands the Wallowas, a mountain range whose snowcapped summits, nearly 60 alpine lakes, glacial valleys, and thick forests have drawn comparisons to the European Alps. Home to the nearly 360,000-acre Eagle Cap Wilderness and the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest , the mountains are an outdoor wonderland, with opportunities for hiking, skiing, horseback riding, and watersports. "It's the kind of landscape you don't see anywhere else," says Klancy Poor of the Eastern Oregon Visitors Association . "You're not going to see a lot of people there because it's hard to get to."

The Hells Canyon Scenic Byway strings together both these spectacular wildernesses into a single unforgettable drive. Bookended by the towns of La Grande, Oregon, and Baker City, Oregon, on I-84, the byway—which is also a designated All-American Road for its standout landscapes—is a nice circular route that can be driven in either direction. Along the way, drivers are also treated to a mix of mountain and desert landscapes, friendly small towns, remnants of the Oregon Trail and pioneer settlements, and sites reminding travelers of the area's history as ancestral homelands of the Indigenous Nez Perce people.

Here's everything you need to know to plan a visit to this underappreciated area.

Best Time to Drive

Mid-June through August is the best time to plan a road trip along the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway. Not only are all segments of the route open to vehicles, but it's the prime season for exploring its incredible landscapes. Around the Wallowas and in the surrounding grasslands, there's hiking, fishing, kayaking, and camping, while in Hells Canyon, the gorge-splitting Snake River serves up epic rafting and jet boating. Autumn is also ideal outdoor adventure weather, with the bonus of getting to admire the changing colors.

Come winter, Forest Route 39 is impassable due to snow and closes until early June. Since this part of the route, also known as the Wallowa Mountain Loop, completes the circuit around the eastern half of the mountains, it's impossible to complete the byway in its entirety during the winter. That said, other sections remain open and accessible during the snowy months, allowing for winter activities like skiing at Ferguson Ridge Ski Area near Joseph, Oregon.

Know Before You Go

Parts of the route pass through remote stretches of forest and backcountry terrain, so be sure to gas up when you get the opportunity. Since cell service can drop out in certain areas, download maps or driving directions in advance as well. Follow posted speed limits and drive slowly and safely, taking your time on the winding mountain and canyon roads.

Even if it's just a driving day, bring plenty of water, snacks, and sunscreen. With varying elevations along the route, the weather can shift quickly, so be sure to pack layers for warm and cold temperatures. Poor notes that temperatures can soar quite high in summer, so staying cool is paramount. Comfortable shoes for hiking and walking are also a must. Be sure to practice Leave No Trace principles at all times to help protect the local ecosystems.

Wildlife awareness is also crucial; the region is home to a wide variety of fauna, from rattlesnakes and black bears to elk. Wolves have even been seen in the area. While this makes for some amazing sightings, it also calls for precautions like driving slowly and being aware of your surroundings while hiking.

As far as accommodations, there's something for all tastes. Campers and RVers have no shortage of options, from full-hooks to barebones backcountry sites. Towns all along the byway have hotels, motels, and lodges as well for the non-camping crowd. The boutique Jennings Hotel in Joseph has 14 chic rooms and a snug sauna, while Hot Lake Springs Resort near La Grande has natural mineral hot springs for soaks. Fashioned from local timber and stone, the stately Wallowa Lake Lodge feels like a classic national park lodge dropped into the serene Wallowa woods.

In the food department, Embers Brewhouse and The Blythe Cricke t in Joseph; Terminal Gravity in Enterprise, Oregon; Z's BBQ at Lostine Tavern in Lostine, Oregon; and The Cabyn Cocktail Bar & Kitchen in Baker City are just a handful of standout spots. Even though this is a fairly remote area, there's plenty of good grub to be found.

Stops Along the Route

At just over 200 miles, it's possible to drive the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway in roughly five to six hours. But since this region is fairly remote, it's best to make a getaway of it and stay for a few days. Either La Grande or Baker City can be your departure point. With museums, dining, shopping, and historic city centers, both towns are worth exploring before setting off. Learn about the region's frontier history at the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center near Baker City. La Grande also has oodles of Oregon Trail history to discover, as the route once passed through the surrounding Grande Ronde Valley.

If you'd like to get to the namesake main event—Hells Canyon, that is—start from Baker City and head east along OR-86, passing through rolling desert hills and lush river valleys until you reach Oxbow, Oregon, on the shores of the Snake River. This is where you'll get your first look at America's deepest river gorge and the river that formed it. Exploring more of the gorge is technically off the main byway but well worth the detour. Give yourself a day or so to check out the canyon by camping, doing scenic drives, hiking, rafting, or doing jet boat tours via Hells Canyon Adventures .

Once you've explored Hells Canyon, retrace your steps back to Forest Road 39 to rejoin the main official byway and head up into the Wallowas. Be sure to pause at the Hells Canyon Overlook for sweeping panoramas of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area before continuing. Quiet campgrounds pepper the woods here, making for peaceful overnights among the trees and mountain creeks.

Emerging out of the woods, you'll arrive at the town of Joseph next to Wallowa Lake. Using this artsy town as a basecamp, you can strike out into the Eagle Cap Wilderness for day hikes (Poor recommends the Hurricane Creek trail) or escape the summer heat on Wallowa Lake with kayaking and boating outings. If you'd like to be even closer to the outdoor action, there are lodges, chalet rentals, and campgrounds around the lake as well. Be sure to take the Wallowa Lake Tramway gondola up Mount Howard for sweeping lake and summit views from over 8,000 feet up; it's vistas like these that earned the area its nickname as "America's Little Switzerland." Be sure to visit both the Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site and the Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland Visitor Center (open seasonally from early June through September) to learn about the area's significance as ancestral lands of the Indigenous Nez Perce people. In town, there's also a famous ArtWalk of bronze sculptures, eateries, galleries, shops, and a distillery.

From Joseph, continue along OR-82, heading through forests, grasslands, and small towns like Elgin, Oregon, to reach La Grande and complete the byway.

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