Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

At 2.3 million acres, Wallowa-Whitman is one of the largest forests in the lower 48, encompassing the Eagle Cap Wilderness and Hells Canyon, the deepest gorge in North America at 7,900 feet deep. The Eagle Cap Wilderness spans 350,000 acres of alpine lakes, glacially carved valleys, and the Wallowa Mountains' Matterhorn and Sacajawea peaks exceeding 9,800 feet. Three Wild and Scenic Rivers -- the Snake, Imnaha, and Grande Ronde -- provide world-class whitewater rafting, steelhead fishing, and jet boat excursions.\n\nHells Canyon harbors ancient Nez Perce cultural sites, petroglyphs, and evidence of human habitation dating back 8,000 years. The forest's remoteness in Oregon's far northeast corner means uncrowded trails and genuine wilderness solitude increasingly rare in the American West. Extensive old-growth ponderosa pine stands and wildflower-filled meadows make this a premier backpacking destination.\n\nThe forest also contains the historic Oregon Trail corridor, abandoned gold mining ghost towns in the Blue Mountains, and provides critical winter range for one of the largest elk herds in the Pacific Northwest.