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OREGON’S LITTLE SWITZERLAND AND THE LAND OF CHIEF JOSEPH AND THE NEZ PERCE |
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Story and photographs by Larry Turner |
Wallowa County is Oregon’s Little Switzerland and the Land of the Nez Perce and Chief Joseph, who uttered the famous words when captured by the U.S. Cavalry: “I will fight no more forever!” SUMMER and AUTUMN
I was there in July 2025. As splendid as the summer is, autumn is its equal, offering a more varied palette of color and contrast along with cooler temperatures. For ten days, I stayed at my friend Frank Millar’s Blue Mountain Lake cabin, located in the upper arboreal zone near Tollgate, on the far eastern edge of Umatilla County bordering Union County. Frank inherited the cabin from his late father, Robert, who was a WWII veteran and one of Audie Murphy’s best friends. They fought side by side throughout most of the European Theater, and Frank’s middle name is Audie. Murphy is the most highly decorated soldier in the history of the U.S. military. The cabin is a half mile from Highway 204. Wallowa County begins at Minam, less than 30 miles away. Frank and I used his cabin as our base to explore the Blue Mountain and Wallowa country, although we spent two nights at different friends’ homes in Joseph and one night at a motel in the town of Wallowa. For several days, we traveled with Julie Kooch, a Wallowa County native who is a cowgirl, school teacher, and historian (and author of three historical books about the county). Julie was a treasure trove of information about this amazing country. BLUE MOUNTAIN AND ELGIN COUNTRY
One day, Frank, his trusty miniature Aussie Pande, and I traveled back roads to Jubilee Lake, located northeast of Tollgate. The lake is a small mecca for summer and autumn activities, including fishing, paddleboarding, canoeing, kayaking, and camping. It’s a local hangout, providing a reprieve from the hotter temperatures in the Elgin, Walla Walla, and Milton-Freewater valleys. We traveled the Highline Road for a spectacular sunset overlooking the South Fork of the Walla Walla River. Wildflowers were abundant along the way. As a kid and young man, Frank’s dad would drop him and his older brother Andy off, and they would spend the day hiking, hunting, and fishing, walking all the way to the valley below where they would be picked up. “Unfortunately, the body won’t allow that anymore,” Frank reminisced, thankful for his 78th year. Whenever we went to Wallowa County, we would always stop in Elgin for breakfast at the Bighorns Cafe. Their superb vegetarian omelets will sustain you through most of the day. Across the street is the Elgin Corner Market and Deli, owned by my hometown friend Kelly Stevenson McLaughlin and her husband, Brad. Drop in for hand-scooped ice cream, a deli sandwich, and other pleasures. EAGLE CAP EXCURSION TRAIN AND ELGIN OPERA HOUSE
I didn’t do either of these, but they are on my bucket list: the Eagle Cap Excursion Train (https://eaglecaptrainrides.com/) and the Elgin Opera House (http://www.elginoperahouse.com/.) The train follows the Grande Ronde and Wallowa rivers and runs every Saturday through September and October. Wednesday, October 8th, is a Fall Foliage excursion. It costs around a hundred dollars, and from what participants have said, it is well worth it. In the spring (their first excursion this year was a Mother’s Day Brunch on May 11th) and summer months, they even have an Outlaws Train Robbery re-enactment at surprise locations along the tracks. Train rides are accessed in downtown Elgin. The annual Elgin Stampede is worth attending for rodeo buffs, as it’s PRCA sanctioned. We went to their Saturday parade and drove around the rodeo grounds.
Opera in little, off-the-beaten-path Elgin? Yep! I can’t wait to go sometime. I’m an opera aficionado, having attended performances in New Hampshire, NYC, Texas, Nevada, and Oregon. The historic Elgin Opera House has a surprising schedule slated for the public. Opera isn’t just for city folk; rural folks have taste, too! FLY-FISHING AND RAFTING
Leaving the store, we moseyed a short distance up a gravel road to Minam State Recreation Area. I hiked down to the river and proceeded to catch a beautiful 17-inch trout (along with a few others) that I released. Later that week, we would join Julie and her church group for a picnic at the park.
Autumn fishing in Wallowa County should be extraordinary. Wallowa Lake is noted for large lake trout. Steelhead and trout fishing in the Grande Ronde and Wallowa rivers are steeped in long traditions with locals and fishing gurus. PROMISE, FLORA, GRANDE RONDE, JOSEPH CREEK, AND HELLS CANYON
Names of towns like Promise and Flora naturally create an allure in one’s imagination. One day, Frank and I drove to Promise, and on another day, Frank, Julie, and I drove to Flora and beyond. Early homesteaders came to these isolated parts of Oregon, farming, ranching, logging, and mining, making them vibrant communities. Flora once had a population of several hundred; it is now considered a ghost town. Julie’s grandmother taught school at Promise, riding by horseback for miles to and from school. Both places then had post offices that no longer exist. The old schoolhouse in Flora is worth a visit—a step back in time. It is now operated as a community education center with a library, a museum, and a craft store with metalworks and other handcrafted items. I purchased some books and a small dinner bell there.
Driving to Flora, we stopped at the Joseph Canyon Overlook. Chief Joseph was born in a cave in Joseph Canyon. Julie took over as tour guide as this is her home turf. “I grew up in this canyon. No phone. No electricity. The most isolated part of Wallowa County. I swear I learned to ride horses in my diapers,” she laughs. “At two, I remember being in the saddle with my dad.” She points out many landmarks in the dramatic scenery and reminisces about the superlative views of the snow-covered Wallowas that she grew up with. THE STORY OF BUZZ HOLMSTROM: FIRST PERSON TO SOLO RAFT GRAND CANYON
We continued on, taking back roads, threading our way down into the Grande Ronde Canyon—lined with the most wild plums I’ve ever seen—and arriving in the hamlet of Troy, where we stopped for lunch at the Wenaha Bar and Grill. This area is known for steelhead fishing and rafting expeditions. The great Coquille Oregon river rafter Buzz Holmstrom died along the Grande Ronde’s bank under mysterious circumstances in 1946. He was the first person to solo run the length of the Grand Canyon’s Colorado River, an accomplishment he achieved in 1937. After lunch, we drove across the river and explored for several miles, meeting many river rafters along the way. Frank had rafted the Grande Ronde many times, telling us stories about the beauty and travails of his own expeditions.
Turning around, we headed back to Troy and onto the pavement, driving on the Washington side until we reached Highway 3, where we turned south and headed back to Oregon. Before crossing the border, we stopped at Boggan’s Oasis on the Grande Ronde for huckleberry milkshakes—a heavenly taste on a scorching day. We then made the bold decision to go to Hackhorn Spring Lookout Tower, which overlooks Hells Canyon and the Imnaha River Canyon, with spellbinding views of Idaho's Seven Devils Mountain Range and, on a very clear day, the Sawtooth Range. We arrived at sunset, helping a couple along the way who had a flat tire without a spare. This is the land of no cell coverage, but luckily, at the Lookout, we got a signal and were able to arrange help for the couple for the following day. The sunset was worth the drive, but darkness brought us back to Julie’s country home in Joseph late at night, where we crashed for a solid night’s sleep. She made her famous apple crepes for breakfast, fueling us for the day ahead. JOSEPH, WALLOWA LAKE, AND THE EAGLE CAPS
Joseph overlooks the front side of the glorious Wallowa Mountains. Summer and autumn are joyous seasons to be in this neck of the woods. Joseph is home to many artists and is especially known for its bronze artists, including Frank’s friend Dennis Jones, whose reputation extends worldwide. Many of the bronze sculptures in downtown Joseph are his. We spent a night at his house.
In September, Joseph hosts a variety of events worth attending: Hells Canyon Mule Days (Sept. 5-7, 2025; https://hellscanyonmuledays.com/), Wallowa Valley Festival of the Arts (Sept. 19-22, 2025; the largest fine art exhibition in Eastern Oregon) and the Oregon Alpenfest (Sept. 23-28, 2025; https://oregonalpenfest.com/. The Alpenfest is a Swiss-Bavarian festival. Joseph was Oregon’s first designated arts and cultural district.
The lake is known for fishing, boating, kayaking, paddle-boarding, and canoeing. Joseph Oregon Paddle (458-345-1868) has glass bottom kayak rentals and offers Wallowa Lake Tours. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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