The Ice Age glaciers that scalloped the southern Wallowa Mountains left granite lake basins around the rim of Eagle Creek’s spectacular valley like cupboards in a giant’s kitchen. Day hikers only have time to peek in one of those cupboard doors, but backpackers can visit one alpine lake after another on a loop. The difficult route is impassable for horses, making this one of the few hiker-only Wallowa tours.

From Baker City, take . . .

This chapter is an excerpt from 100 Hikes: Eastern Oregon