Difficult
8.4 miles round trip
2500 feet elevation loss
Open mid-June through October
Use: hikers, horses
The Minam River gathers its forces high in the Wallowa Mountains and barrels down a 2500-foot-deep rimrock canyon for 40 miles. There are no easy paths to this mighty torrent in the heart of the Eagle Cap Wilderness, but the trail down from Rock Springs is the least difficult. There’s plenty of room for camping, too, beside a meadow with the explorable ruins of an old lodge. Just be sure to save some energy for the hike back up to your car on the canyon rim.
From Interstate 84, take . . .
You don’t need to risk fording the Minam River to . . .
This chapter is an excerpt from 100 Hikes: Eastern Oregon