Wallowa-Whitman National Forest
Encyclopedia
The Wallowa–Whitman National Forest is a United States National Forest
in Oregon
. Formed by a merger of the formerly separate Wallowa and Whitman national forests, it is located in the northeastern corner of the state, in Wallowa
, Baker
, Union
, Grant
, and Umatilla
counties in Oregon, and includes small areas in Nez Perce
and Idaho
counties in Idaho. The forest is named for the Wallowa band of the Nez Perce, who originally lived in this area, and Marcus
and Narcissa Whitman
, Presbyterian missionaries who settled north of here in 1836. Forest headquarters are located in Baker City, Oregon
.
The national forest may be divided into several distinct sections, which together cover 2300000 acres (9,307.8 km²) of land, including 600000 acres (2,428.1 km²) of designated wilderness
.
A large section of the forest is located in the rugged Wallowa Mountains
, south of Joseph
, in the upper reaches of the Wallowa
, Minam
, and Imnaha
drainages
. The alpine
area in the heart of the mountain range is designated as the Eagle Cap Wilderness
. Bordering the national forest on the north, Wallowa Lake State Park
is located on the shore of Wallowa Lake
.
A smaller section of the forest is located north of Enterprise
, along Joseph Canyon
. This section is joined to the first by the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area
, which protects the stretch of the Snake River
known as Hells Canyon
, the deepest gorge in North America. The recreation area includes portions of the Nez Perce
, Payette
, and Wallowa–Whitman national forests but is managed solely by the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest. It contains the Hells Canyon Wilderness, jointly managed by the Forest Service
and the Bureau of Land Management
. The Hells Canyon Scenic Byway
passes through the national forest on Forest Service Road 39.
Another large section of the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest is located west of La Grande
and Baker City
, in the Elkhorn Mountains, a subrange of the Blue Mountains
. It borders the Malheur National Forest
on the southwest and the Umatilla National Forest
on the northwest. This area includes the upper reaches of the John Day
and Grande Ronde
rivers. The North Fork John Day
and Monument Rock
wildernesses are jointly managed with the adjacent national forests. The historic gold mining
city of Sumpter
is surrounded by the Wallowa–Whitman forest on all sides.
species, 236 bird species, over 90 mammal
species, 26 reptile
-amphibian
species, and roughly 1,500 plant species.
Wildlife habitat
is affected by logging
and grazing
, but significant stands of old-growth forest have survived. A 1993 Forest Service study estimated that the extent of old growth in the Forest was 173000 acres (70,010.7 ha). Large mammal species include Shiras moose, Rocky Mountain elk
, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, mountain goat
, white-tailed deer
, mule deer
, black bear
, grey wolf, cougar, and bobcat
. Several sightings of wolverine
s, rare within the United States, have been recorded since the 1990s. Smaller mammals include the pika
, pine marten
, badger
, mink
, beaver
, river otter
, and marmot
. Bird species include the peregrine falcon
, bald eagle
, golden eagle
, ferruginous hawk
, goshawk, gray-crowned rosy finch
, chukar partridge, pileated woodpecker
, American dipper
, and great gray owl
. Rivers and creeks support steelhead and trout
.
Plant communities range from low elevation grassland
s and ponderosa pine
forest to alpine meadows. Engelmann spruce
, mountain hemlock
, subalpine fir
and whitebark pine
can be found in the higher elevations, with Douglas-fir
, white fir
, western larch
, and lodgepole pine
elsewhere. Wildflowers include clarkia
, Indian paintbrush
, sego lily, elephanthead
, larkspur
, shooting star
, and bluebell
. Rocky bluffs in the Hells Canyon area support prickly pear cactus and poison ivy
.
The Forest Service uses controlled burn
s before the wildfire
season to reduce the natural fuel on the forest floor as part of its management of the forest.
. The area was the summer home of the Joseph Band of the Nez Perce tribe. The Cayuse
, Shoshone
and Bannock
tribes arrived in the area some time later. The native people hunted deer, elk and bighorn sheep in the Wallowa Valley and surrounding mountains. The first European settlers arrived in the Wallowa Valley in 1860. In 1887, a gang of horse thieves murdered 34 Chinese miners in Chinese Massacre Cove
along the Snake River.
In 1905, the Wallowa Forest Reserve and Chesnimnus Reserve were established by President Theodore Roosevelt
. The two reserves were later merged to create Imnaha National Forest
on March 1, 1907. On July 1, 1908 the name was changed back to Wallowa National Forest
, and in 1954 Wallowa was administratively combined with Whitman National Forest
to create Wallowa–Whitman. Whitman was established on July 1, 1908 from part of Blue Mountains National Forest
. On June 20, 1920 part of Minam National Forest
was added.
The Eagle Cap primitive area was established in 1930. The area was designated as a wilderness in 1940. The Wilderness Act of 1964 placed the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area in the National Wilderness Preservation System. The original wildness area was enlarged by 73410 acres (297 km²) in 1972 and by an additional 67711 acres (274 km²) in 1984. The wilderness now totals 350461 acres (1,418 km²).
The Wallowa Mountains Visitor Center and headquarters for the National Forest, a 20500 ft2 log building in Enterprise, Oregon
, burned to the ground on July 11, 2010,
The Wallowa–Whitman National Forest is used for hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, and other recreational activities. Anthony Lakes Ski Area
is located on National Forest
land. The ski area is 40 miles (64.4 km) northwest of Baker City and 45 miles (72.4 km) southwest of La Grande. The ski area has groomed slopes for alpine skiing
and snowboarding
plus trails for cross-country skiing
and snowshoeing. The forest also has many miles of trail specifically designated for snowmobile
use.
The forest has 52 developed campgrounds plus 9 day-use picnic areas. Most campgrounds are open from May to October. The Forest Service also operates five rental cabins. Hikers have the choice of 66 trails, with vista points along many of the routes. There are also 26 interpretive sites. The national forest has seven areas where visitors can enjoy swimming, power boating, rafting
, canoeing
, and kayaking
. There are numerous fishing
streams, and hunting
is allowed during specific seasons. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
regulates hunting and fishing activities on Wallowa–Whitman forest land.
Some forest activities require permits. The type of permit and its cost depends on the specific recreational activity. For example, a Northwest Forest Pass is required for parking at some high-use trailheads. The cost is $30 for an annual pass or $5 for a day pass. The Forest Service uses the permit revenue for trail maintenance. Permits are also required for firewood cutting, Christmas tree
harvesting, and mushroom gathering. A special permit is required to raft on the Snake River.
The forest is home to the annual Eagle Cap Dog Sled Race, a three-day race that qualifies winners for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. It is also home to the Wallowa Lake Tramway
.
United States National Forest
National Forest is a classification of federal lands in the United States.National Forests are largely forest and woodland areas owned by the federal government and managed by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. Land management of these areas...
in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. Formed by a merger of the formerly separate Wallowa and Whitman national forests, it is located in the northeastern corner of the state, in Wallowa
Wallowa County, Oregon
Wallowa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon. According to Oregon Geographic Names, the origins of the county's name are uncertain, with the most likely explanation being that it is derived from the Nez Perce term for a...
, Baker
Baker County, Oregon
Baker County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon. It is named for Edward Dickinson Baker, a senator from Oregon who was killed at Ball's Bluff, a battle of the Civil War in Virginia in 1861. It was split from the eastern part...
, Union
Union County, Oregon
Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon. The county is named for the town of Union, which is located within its boundaries; in 2010, the county population was 25,748. The county seat is La Grande.-History:Union County...
, Grant
Grant County, Oregon
Grant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon. In 2010, its population was 7,445. It is named for President Ulysses S. Grant, who served as an army officer in the Oregon Territory, and at the time of the county's creation...
, and Umatilla
Umatilla County, Oregon
Umatilla County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon. The county is named for the Umatilla River. In 2010, its population was 75,889...
counties in Oregon, and includes small areas in Nez Perce
Nez Perce County, Idaho
Nez Perce County [Eng. pron. Nezz Purse] is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 39,265 at the 2010 Census. The county seat is Lewiston. The county is named for the Nez Percé tribe....
and Idaho
Idaho County, Idaho
Idaho County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 16,267. The county seat is Grangeville...
counties in Idaho. The forest is named for the Wallowa band of the Nez Perce, who originally lived in this area, and Marcus
Marcus Whitman
Marcus Whitman was an American physician and Oregon missionary in the Oregon Country. Along with his wife Narcissa Whitman he started a mission in what is now southeastern Washington state in 1836, which would later become a stop along the Oregon Trail...
and Narcissa Whitman
Narcissa Whitman
Narcissa Prentiss Whitman was an American missionary in the Oregon Country of what would become the state of Washington. Along with Eliza Hart Spalding , she was the first European-American woman to cross the Rocky Mountains in 1836 on her way to found the Protestant Whitman Mission with husband Dr...
, Presbyterian missionaries who settled north of here in 1836. Forest headquarters are located in Baker City, Oregon
Baker City, Oregon
Baker City is a city in and the county seat of Baker County, Oregon, United States. It was named after Edward D. Baker. The population was 9,828 at the 2010 census.-History:...
.
Geography
National Wilderness Preservation System
The National Wilderness Preservation System of the United States protects federally managed land areas designated for preservation in their natural condition. It was established by the Wilderness Act upon the signature of President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3, 1964...
.
A large section of the forest is located in the rugged Wallowa Mountains
Wallowa Mountains
The Wallowa Mountains are a mountain range located in the Columbia Plateau of northeastern Oregon in the United States. The range runs approximately 40 mi northwest to southeast in southwestern Wallowa County between the Blue Mountains to the west and the Snake River to the east. The range is...
, south of Joseph
Joseph, Oregon
Joseph is a city in Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. Originally named Silver Lake and Lake City, in 1880 the city formally named itself for Nez Perce Chief Joseph. The population was 1,054 at the 2000 census.- History :...
, in the upper reaches of the Wallowa
Wallowa River
The Wallowa River is a tributary of the Grande Ronde River, approximately long, in northeastern Oregon in the United States. It drains a valley on the Columbia Plateau in the northeast corner of the state north of Wallowa Mountains. It rises in southern Wallowa County, in the Wallowa Mountains in...
, Minam
Minam River
The Minam River is a tributary of the Wallowa River, long, in northeastern Oregon in the United States. It drains a rugged wilderness area of the Wallowa Mountains west of La Grande....
, and Imnaha
Imnaha River
The Imnaha River is a tributary of the Snake River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Flowing generally east near the headwaters and then north through Wallowa County, the entire river is designated Wild and Scenic...
drainages
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
. The alpine
Alpine climate
Alpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
area in the heart of the mountain range is designated as the Eagle Cap Wilderness
Eagle Cap Wilderness
Eagle Cap Wilderness is a wilderness area located in the Wallowa Mountains of northeastern Oregon , within the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest. The Wilderness was established in 1940. In 1964, it was included in the National Wilderness Preservation System...
. Bordering the national forest on the north, Wallowa Lake State Park
Wallowa Lake State Park
Wallowa Lake State Park is a state park located in northeast Oregon in the United States. It is at the southern shore of Wallowa Lake, near the city of Joseph in Wallowa County....
is located on the shore of Wallowa Lake
Wallowa Lake
Wallowa Lake is a ribbon lake one mile south of Joseph, Oregon, United States. Impounded by high moraines, it was formed by a series of Pleistocene glaciers. On the south end of the lake is a small community made up of vacation homes, lodging, restaurants, as well as other small businesses....
.
A smaller section of the forest is located north of Enterprise
Enterprise, Oregon
Enterprise is a city in and the county seat of Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,895 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of 1,940 in 2007.- History :...
, along Joseph Canyon
Joseph Canyon
Joseph Canyon is a deep basalt canyon in northern Wallowa County, Oregon, and southern Asotin County, Washington, United States. It contains Joseph Creek, a tributary of the Grande Ronde River, which flows into the Snake River and then into the Columbia...
. This section is joined to the first by the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area
Hells Canyon National Recreation Area
Hells Canyon National Recreation Area is a United States National Recreation Area located on the borders of the U.S. states of Oregon and Idaho. The recreation area was established by U.S...
, which protects the stretch of the Snake River
Snake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
known as Hells Canyon
Hells Canyon
Hells Canyon is a wide canyon located along the border of eastern Oregon and western Idaho in the United States. It is North America's deepest river gorge at and part of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area....
, the deepest gorge in North America. The recreation area includes portions of the Nez Perce
Nez Perce National Forest
The Nez Perce National Forest is located in Idaho County in central western Idaho in the northwestern United States. The forest is bounded on the east by the state of Montana, on the north by the Palouse region, and on the south and west by the Clearwater National Forest. It has a total area of...
, Payette
Payette National Forest
The Payette National Forest, is a U.S. National Forest located in central western Idaho, in parts of Valley, Idaho, Adams, and Washington counties. The land area consists of approximately 2.3 million acres of federally managed lands...
, and Wallowa–Whitman national forests but is managed solely by the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest. It contains the Hells Canyon Wilderness, jointly managed by the Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
and the Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
. The Hells Canyon Scenic Byway
Hells Canyon Scenic Byway
Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is a designated All-American Road in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the northeast corner of Oregon and comprises Oregon Route 82, Forest Roads 39 and 3365, and most of Oregon Route 86...
passes through the national forest on Forest Service Road 39.
Another large section of the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest is located west of La Grande
La Grande, Oregon
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 12,327 people, 5,124 households, and 2,982 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,833.5 people per square mile . There were 5,483 housing units at an average density of 1,260.3 per square mile...
and Baker City
Baker City, Oregon
Baker City is a city in and the county seat of Baker County, Oregon, United States. It was named after Edward D. Baker. The population was 9,828 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, in the Elkhorn Mountains, a subrange of the Blue Mountains
Blue Mountains (Oregon)
The Blue Mountains are a mountain range in the western United States, located largely in northeastern Oregon and stretching into southeastern Washington...
. It borders the Malheur National Forest
Malheur National Forest
The Malheur National Forest is a National Forest in the U.S. state of Oregon. It contains 1.7 million acres in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. The forest include high desert grasslands, sage, juniper, pine, fir, and other tree species. Elevations vary from about 4000 feet to the 9038...
on the southwest and the Umatilla National Forest
Umatilla National Forest
The Umatilla National Forest, in the Blue Mountains of northeast Oregon and southeast Washington, covers an area of 1.4 million acres . In descending order of land area the forest is located in parts of Umatilla, Grant, Columbia, Morrow, Wallowa, Union, Garfield, Asotin, Wheeler, and Walla Walla...
on the northwest. This area includes the upper reaches of the John Day
John Day River
The John Day River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately long, in northeastern Oregon in the United States. Undammed along its entire length, the river is the third longest free-flowing river in the conterminous United States. There is extensive use of its waters for irrigation. Its...
and Grande Ronde
Grande Ronde River
The Grande Ronde River is a tributary of the Snake River, long, in northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington in the United States. It drains an area southeast of the Blue Mountains and northwest of the Wallowa Mountains, on the Columbia Plateau...
rivers. The North Fork John Day
North Fork John Day Wilderness
The North Fork John Day Wilderness is a wilderness area within the Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests, in the Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon....
and Monument Rock
Monument Rock Wilderness
The Monument Rock Wilderness Area is a wilderness area within the Malheur and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests in Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. It was designated by the United States Congress in 1984 and comprises...
wildernesses are jointly managed with the adjacent national forests. The historic gold mining
Gold mining
Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...
city of Sumpter
Sumpter, Oregon
Sumpter is a city in Baker County, Oregon, United States. The population was 171 at the 2000 census. Sumpter is named after Fort Sumter by its founders.- History :...
is surrounded by the Wallowa–Whitman forest on all sides.
Ecology
The Wallowa–Whitman National Forest is home to 36 fishFish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
species, 236 bird species, over 90 mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
species, 26 reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
-amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
species, and roughly 1,500 plant species.
Wildlife habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
is affected by logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
and grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
, but significant stands of old-growth forest have survived. A 1993 Forest Service study estimated that the extent of old growth in the Forest was 173000 acres (70,010.7 ha). Large mammal species include Shiras moose, Rocky Mountain elk
Rocky Mountain Elk
The Rocky Mountain Elk is a subspecies of elk found in the Rocky Mountains and adjacent ranges of Western North America. The winter ranges are most common in open forests and floodplain marshes in the lower elevations. In the summer it migrates to the subalpine forests and alpine basins...
, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, mountain goat
Mountain goat
The Mountain Goat , also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. Despite its vernacular name, it is not a member of Capra, the genus of true goats...
, white-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, mule deer
Mule Deer
The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer...
, black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
, grey wolf, cougar, and bobcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
. Several sightings of wolverine
Wolverine
The wolverine, pronounced , Gulo gulo , also referred to as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, or quickhatch, is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae . It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more closely resembling a small bear than other mustelids...
s, rare within the United States, have been recorded since the 1990s. Smaller mammals include the pika
Pika
The pika is a small mammal, with short limbs, rounded ears, and short tail. The name pika is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes the Leporidae . One genus, Ochotona, is recognised within the family, and it includes 30 species...
, pine marten
Pine Marten
The European Pine Marten , known most commonly as the pine marten in Anglophone Europe, and less commonly also known as Pineten, baum marten, or sweet marten, is an animal native to Northern Europe belonging to the mustelid family, which also includes mink, otter, badger, wolverine and weasel. It...
, badger
Badger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae...
, mink
Mink
There are two living species referred to as "mink": the European Mink and the American Mink. The extinct Sea Mink is related to the American Mink, but was much larger. All three species are dark-colored, semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals of the family Mustelidae, which also includes the weasels and...
, beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
, river otter
Northern River Otter
The North American river otter , also known as the northern river otter or the common otter, is a semiaquatic mammal endemic to the North American continent, found in and along its waterways and coasts. An adult river otter can weigh between 5 and 14 kg...
, and marmot
Marmot
The marmots are a genus, Marmota, of squirrels. There are 14 species in this genus.Marmots are generally large ground squirrels. Those most often referred to as marmots tend to live in mountainous areas such as the Alps, northern Apennines, Eurasian steppes, Carpathians, Tatras, and Pyrenees in...
. Bird species include the peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
, golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, ferruginous hawk
Ferruginous Hawk
The Ferruginous Hawk , Buteo regalis , is a large bird of prey. It is not a true hawk like sparrowhawks or goshawks, but rather belongs to the broad-winged buteo hawks, known as "buzzards" in Europe...
, goshawk, gray-crowned rosy finch
Gray-crowned Rosy Finch
The Gray-crowned Rosy Finch, or Gray-crowned Rosy-finch, is a species of passerine bird in the family Fringillidae native to Alaska, western Canada, and the north-western United States. Due to its remote and rocky alpine habitat it is rarely seen. There are currently six recognized subspecies...
, chukar partridge, pileated woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
The Pileated Woodpecker is a very large North American woodpecker, almost crow-sized, inhabiting deciduous forests in eastern North America, the Great Lakes, the boreal forests of Canada, and parts of the Pacific coast. It is also the largest woodpecker in America.Adults are long, and weigh...
, American dipper
American Dipper
The American Dipper , also known as a Water Ouzel, is a stocky dark grey bird with a head sometimes tinged with brown, and white feathers on the eyelids cause the eyes to flash white as the bird blinks. It is 16.5 cm long and weighs on average 46 g...
, and great gray owl
Great Grey Owl
The Great Grey Owl or Lapland Owl is a very large owl, distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. In some areas it is also called the Great Gray Ghost, Phantom of the north, Cinereous Owl, Spectral Owl, Lapland Owl, Spruce Owl, Bearded Owl and Sooty Owl.-Description:Adults have a big, rounded...
. Rivers and creeks support steelhead and trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
.
Plant communities range from low elevation grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
s and ponderosa pine
Ponderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa, commonly known as the Ponderosa Pine, Bull Pine, Blackjack Pine, or Western Yellow Pine, is a widespread and variable pine native to western North America. It was first described by David Douglas in 1826, from eastern Washington near present-day Spokane...
forest to alpine meadows. Engelmann spruce
Engelmann Spruce
Picea engelmannii is a species of spruce native to western North America, from central British Columbia and southwest Alberta, southwest to northern California and southeast to Arizona and New Mexico; there are also two isolated populations in northern Mexico...
, mountain hemlock
Mountain Hemlock
Tsuga mertensiana, known as Mountain Hemlock, is a species of hemlock native to the west coast of North America, with its northwestern limit on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, and its southeastern limit in northern Tulare County, California....
, subalpine fir
Subalpine Fir
The Subalpine Fir or Rocky Mountain Fir is a western North American fir, native to the mountains of Yukon, British Columbia and western Alberta in Canada; southeastern Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, western Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, northeastern Nevada, and the...
and whitebark pine
Whitebark Pine
Pinus albicaulis, known commonly as Whitebark Pine, Pitch Pine, Scrub Pine, and Creeping Pine occurs in the mountains of the Western United States and Canada, specifically the subalpine areas of the Sierra Nevada, the Cascade Range, the Pacific Coast Ranges, and the northern Rocky Mountains –...
can be found in the higher elevations, with Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir is one of the English common names for evergreen coniferous trees of the genus Pseudotsuga in the family Pinaceae. Other common names include Douglas tree, and Oregon pine. There are five species, two in western North America, one in Mexico, and two in eastern Asia...
, white fir
White Fir
White Fir is a fir native to the mountains of western North America, occurring at altitudes of 900-3,400 m. It is a medium to large evergreen coniferous tree growing to 25–60 m tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 2 m . It is popular as an ornamental landscaping tree and as a Christmas Tree...
, western larch
Western Larch
Western Larch is a species of larch native to the mountains of western North America, in Canada in southeastern British Columbia and southwestern Alberta, and in the United States in eastern Washington, eastern Oregon, northern Idaho and western Montana.It is a large deciduous coniferous tree...
, and lodgepole pine
Lodgepole Pine
Lodgepole Pine, Pinus contorta, also known as Shore Pine, is a common tree in western North America. Like all pines, it is evergreen.-Subspecies:...
elsewhere. Wildflowers include clarkia
Clarkia
Clarkia is a genus within the flowering plant family Onagraceae. Over 40 species are currently classified in Clarkia; almost all are native to western North America, though one species is native to South America....
, Indian paintbrush
Indian Paintbrush
Indian Paintbrush most often refers to:* Castilleja spp.Indian Paintbrush may also refer to:* Butterfly weed* Hawkweed* Steven Rales' production company, whose productions include The Darjeeling Limited, Towelhead and Fantastic Mr. Fox...
, sego lily, elephanthead
Pedicularis groenlandica
Pedicularis groenlandica is a showy flowering plant in the Scrophulariaceae which is known by the common names elephant's head and elephanthead lousewort. This erect plant can grow to a height of 80 centimeters. Its sharply-toothed fernlike leaves are located low on the stout stem. The stem is...
, larkspur
Delphinium
Delphinium is a genus of about 300 species of perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native throughout the Northern Hemisphere and also on the high mountains of tropical Africa. The common name, larkspur, is shared with the closely related genus Consolida...
, shooting star
Dodecatheon
Dodecatheon is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the Primrose family Primulaceae. The species have basal clumps of leaves and nodding flowers that are produced at the top of tall stems that rise from where the leaves join the crown. They are commonly called Shooting Stars because of the...
, and bluebell
Mertensia
Mertensia is a genus of about 40 species of perennial herbaceous plants with bell-shaped blue flowers opening from pink-tinged buds. This is one of several plants commonly called bluebell.The genus is named after the German botanist Franz Carl Mertens....
. Rocky bluffs in the Hells Canyon area support prickly pear cactus and poison ivy
Poison ivy
Toxicodendron radicans, better known as poison ivy , is a poisonous North American plant that is well known for its production of urushiol, a clear liquid compound found within the sap of the plant that causes an itching rash in most people who touch it...
.
The Forest Service uses controlled burn
Controlled burn
Controlled or prescribed burning, also known as hazard reduction burning or Swailing is a technique sometimes used in forest management, farming, prairie restoration or greenhouse gas abatement. Fire is a natural part of both forest and grassland ecology and controlled fire can be a tool for...
s before the wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
season to reduce the natural fuel on the forest floor as part of its management of the forest.
History
The land that is now the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest was first occupied by the Nez Perce Indians around 1400 CECommon Era
Common Era ,abbreviated as CE, is an alternative designation for the calendar era originally introduced by Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century, traditionally identified with Anno Domini .Dates before the year 1 CE are indicated by the usage of BCE, short for Before the Common Era Common Era...
. The area was the summer home of the Joseph Band of the Nez Perce tribe. The Cayuse
Cayuse
The Cayuse are a Native American tribe in the state of Oregon in the United States. The Cayuse tribe shares a reservation in northeastern Oregon with the Umatilla and the Walla Walla tribes as part of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation...
, Shoshone
Shoshone
The Shoshone or Shoshoni are a Native American tribe in the United States with three large divisions: the Northern, the Western and the Eastern....
and Bannock
Bannock (tribe)
The Bannock tribe of the Northern Paiute are an indigenous people of the Great Basin. Their traditional lands include southeastern Oregon, southeastern Idaho, western Wyoming, and southwestern Montana...
tribes arrived in the area some time later. The native people hunted deer, elk and bighorn sheep in the Wallowa Valley and surrounding mountains. The first European settlers arrived in the Wallowa Valley in 1860. In 1887, a gang of horse thieves murdered 34 Chinese miners in Chinese Massacre Cove
Chinese Massacre Cove
Chinese Massacre Cove is an area along the Snake River in Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. It is located in the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest and the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, upriver from the Snake's confluence with the Imnaha River....
along the Snake River.
In 1905, the Wallowa Forest Reserve and Chesnimnus Reserve were established by President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
. The two reserves were later merged to create Imnaha National Forest
Imnaha National Forest
Imnaha National Forest was established in Oregon on March 1, 1907 with when the first Wallowa National Forest and Chenismus National Forest were combined. Its lands presently exist as part of Wallowa–Whitman National Forest....
on March 1, 1907. On July 1, 1908 the name was changed back to Wallowa National Forest
Wallowa National Forest
Wallowa National Forest was first established as the Wallowa Forest Reserve in Oregon on May 6, 1905 with . On March 1, 1907 it was combined with the Chenismus Forest Reserve to create Imnaha National Forest, which was then renamed Wallowa on July 1, 1908. In 1954 it was administratively combined...
, and in 1954 Wallowa was administratively combined with Whitman National Forest
Whitman National Forest
Whitman National Forest was established in Oregon on July 1, 1908 with from part of Blue Mountains National Forest. On June 20, 1920 part of Minam National Forest was added. In 1954 it was administratively combined with Wallowa National Forest to make Wallowa–Whitman National Forest...
to create Wallowa–Whitman. Whitman was established on July 1, 1908 from part of Blue Mountains National Forest
Blue Mountains National Forest
Blue Mountains National Forest was established as the Blue Mountains Forest Reserve by the U.S. Forest Service in Oregon on March 15, 1906 with from portions of the Baker City Forest Reserve and other lands. It became a National Forest on March 4, 1907...
. On June 20, 1920 part of Minam National Forest
Minam National Forest
Minam National Forest was first established in Oregon on July 1, 1911 with from part of Wallowa National Forest. On June 20, 1920 it was transferred Whitman National Forest and the name was discontinued. Its lands exist now as part of Wallowa–Whitman National Forest -External links:** Text from...
was added.
The Eagle Cap primitive area was established in 1930. The area was designated as a wilderness in 1940. The Wilderness Act of 1964 placed the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area in the National Wilderness Preservation System. The original wildness area was enlarged by 73410 acres (297 km²) in 1972 and by an additional 67711 acres (274 km²) in 1984. The wilderness now totals 350461 acres (1,418 km²).
The Wallowa Mountains Visitor Center and headquarters for the National Forest, a 20500 ft2 log building in Enterprise, Oregon
Enterprise, Oregon
Enterprise is a city in and the county seat of Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,895 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of 1,940 in 2007.- History :...
, burned to the ground on July 11, 2010,
Recreational uses
Anthony Lakes (ski area)
Anthony Lakes is a ski area located in eastern Oregon, near the city of La Grande. The resort has one triple chairlift, and a vertical drop of 900 ft . The summit elevation is 8000 ft above sea level, and the terrain is mostly of an intermediate and expert level. The resort also offers Snowcat...
is located on National Forest
United States National Forest
National Forest is a classification of federal lands in the United States.National Forests are largely forest and woodland areas owned by the federal government and managed by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. Land management of these areas...
land. The ski area is 40 miles (64.4 km) northwest of Baker City and 45 miles (72.4 km) southwest of La Grande. The ski area has groomed slopes for alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
and snowboarding
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
plus trails for cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
and snowshoeing. The forest also has many miles of trail specifically designated for snowmobile
Snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
use.
The forest has 52 developed campgrounds plus 9 day-use picnic areas. Most campgrounds are open from May to October. The Forest Service also operates five rental cabins. Hikers have the choice of 66 trails, with vista points along many of the routes. There are also 26 interpretive sites. The national forest has seven areas where visitors can enjoy swimming, power boating, rafting
Rafting
Rafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...
, canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
, and kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
. There are numerous fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
streams, and hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
is allowed during specific seasons. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is an agency of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon responsible for programs protecting Oregon fish and wildlife resources and their habitats....
regulates hunting and fishing activities on Wallowa–Whitman forest land.
Some forest activities require permits. The type of permit and its cost depends on the specific recreational activity. For example, a Northwest Forest Pass is required for parking at some high-use trailheads. The cost is $30 for an annual pass or $5 for a day pass. The Forest Service uses the permit revenue for trail maintenance. Permits are also required for firewood cutting, Christmas tree
Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
harvesting, and mushroom gathering. A special permit is required to raft on the Snake River.
The forest is home to the annual Eagle Cap Dog Sled Race, a three-day race that qualifies winners for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. It is also home to the Wallowa Lake Tramway
Wallowa Lake Tramway
The Wallowa Lake Tramway is an aerial cable gondola lift near Joseph, Oregon, in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest of the United States. The tram runs from the floor of the Wallowa Valley to the top of Mount Howard...
.