THE EAGLE CAP WILDERNESS
The
Eagle Cap Wilderness lies in the heart of the Wallowa Mountains in northeastern
Oregon on the Wallowa -Whitman National Forest. This country was first occupied
by the ancestors of the Nez Perce Indian Tribe in 1400 A.D. and later the Cayuse,
the Shoshone and Bannocks. The Eagle Cap Wilderness itself was used as hunting
grounds for bighorn sheep and deer and to gather huckleberries. It was the
summer home to the Joseph Band of the Nez Perce tribe. 1860 marked the year
the first settlers moved into the Wallowa Valley. In 1930, the Eagle Cap was
established as a primitive area. It was designated as wilderness in 1940.
The Wilderness Act of 1964 placed the area in the National Wilderness Preservation
System. It was enlarged by 73,410 acres in 1972, and by 67,711 acres in 1984
and now totals 350,461 acres of Wilderness.
The
Eagle Cap Wilderness is characterized by high alpine lakes and meadows, bare
granite peaks and ridges, and U-shaped glaciated valleys. One is constantly
reminded that nature operates on her own terms with her own rhythms that may
not match our structural lives. Each season comes and goes bringing with it
new challenges and adventures. We truly hope you will find these experiences
here and carry with you a memory that will last a life time. These memories
can only be left to future generations when we all take part in an effort to
respect and care for wilderness. Doing your part is vital to the future of
Eagle Cap. Please plan your trip carefully, know the current regulations and
seek specific information from the Forest and districts. For additional wilderness
recreation information access the links listed above or use the ASK Us feature
on the home page.
Wildlife, Forests, and Wildflowers
In the vast 350,461 acre Eagle Cap Wilderness you will find an array of exquisite
wildflowers, small groves of old growth forest, and a variety of interesting
wildlife. In the summer months, white-tailed deer, mule deer, and Rocky Mountain
elk roam the Eagle Cap Wilderness. Black bears are seen on occasion eating
huckleberries alongside a creek and cougars hide out among the forest and rocky
outcroppings. On rare occasions, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep or mountain goats
can be seen. Smaller mammals that inhabit the area year-round include the pika,
pine martens, badgers, squirrels, and marmots are sometimes heard in the brush
or amongst the rocks. Keep your eyes to the sky for peregrine falcon, bald
eagle, golden eagle, ferruginous hawk, or the gray-crowned rosy finch.
Plant communities range from low elevation grasslands and ponderosa pine forest
to alpine meadows. Engelmann spruce, larch, mountain hemlock, sub-alpine fir
and whitebark pine can be found in the higher elevations. Across the meadows
you might spot a variety of Indian paintbrush, sego lilies, elephanthead, larkspur,
shooting star, and bluebells.
Visiting the Eagle Cap Wilderness
Hikers and horseback riders can choose from approximately 534 miles of trails
in the Eagle Cap Wilderness. Trailheads are located on all sides of the wilderness,
with access from the counties of Wallowa, Union, and Baker. Upon entrance to
the wilderness visitors are taken back to a time when travel was without automobiles,
bicycles and before the luxury of mechanized equipment.
Permits and Passes
A Northwest Forest Pass is necessary
for parking at Eagle Cap Wilderness Trailheads.
As you prepare for your wilderness adventure, plan to obtain a Northwest Forest
Pass before arriving at the trailhead. These mandatory passes cost $30 per
year, or $5 per day, and will be for sale at all Wallowa-Whitman National Forest
Offices, the Wallowa Mountains Visitor Center in Enterprise, or at local businesses
in the towns of, Wallowa, Enterprise, Joseph, Wallowa Lake, La Grande, Elgin
and Baker City. Northwest Forest Passes may also be available at commercial
outlets and national forest offices in other locations around Oregon and Washington.
You can also obtain passes online at naturenw.org, or by calling 800-270-7504.
The passes will allow visitors to park at many other national forest trailheads
across Washington and Oregon.
All
wilderness visitors to the Eagle Cap Wilderness must obtain a required Wilderness
Visitor Permit before entering the area. Only one permit per group is necessary,
and there is no fee for the permits. The self issue Registration/Permit boxes
are located at each trailhead near the information board. Place the trailhead
copy of the permit in the registration box and carry the visitor portion with
you while in the wilderness. It is helpful to have the permit tied to a backpack
or saddlebags where Wilderness Rangers can see them.
When To Go and Wilderness Weather
Winter months bring heavy snowfall to the Eagle Cap Wilderness area, causing
many of the trails in the wilderness to be blocked with snowbanks through June
and early July. For backcountry skiing opportunities, contact the Wallowa Mountains
Visitor Center (541-426-5596) or an Outfitter Guide.
The
summer and fall season typically begins at the end of June on the lower elevation
trails and runs to the end of November. High elevation trails are usually snow
free from mid-July though September. Visitors should plan to check with the
Wallowa Mountains Visitor Center to be sure your route of travel is accessible.
Always come prepared with an ax and shovel for unexpected trail damage or down
trees.
The Eagle Cap Wilderness is the most heavily used wilderness in northeast Oregon,
with the Lakes Basin Management
Area the most popular. With the large size
of the wilderness and the extensive trail system visitors should find many
opportunities for solitude. Solitude is an important part of a wilderness adventure.
To assure yourself of this atmosphere avoid holidays, travel on a weekday,
in early spring or after Labor Day, and visit areas other than the Lakes Basin.
Listed below are trails of high use which visitors may want to avoid during
the peak season:
- The Lakes Basin (includes the following lakes: Mirror, Moccasin,
Minam, Upper, Sunshine, Glacier, Frazier, Little Frazier, Douglas, Crescent,
Lee, and Horseshoe)
- East Fork Wallowa
- West Fork Wallowa
- Hurricane Creek
- East Fork Lostine
- West Fork Lostine
Grazing In The Eagle Cap Wilderness
Historically domestic sheep and cattle have grazed this area of northeastern
Oregon since the 1800's when animals were herded between the Snake River, Joseph
Canyon, and the lower Imnaha Country for winter range. The higher elevations
of the Eagle Caps were used as summer range. Today the herds have greatly decreased
in number but grazing, authorized by a Forest Service permit, still exists
in the Eagle Cap Wilderness. There are currently three active allotments, one
sheep allotment and two cattle. The sheep graze in the Mount Nebo area from
early July to September. The cattle are located in the southern portion of
the wilderness from July to September depending on weather conditions. Grazing
impacts are minimal as ranchers and herdsmen work with Forest Service managers
to monitor grazing activities closely under annual operating plans. These grazing
activities still exist in wilderness due to the 1964 Wilderness Act which allows
some traditional activities to continue as long as wilderness values are not
compromised. Take time to listen and watch the incredible communication between
the herder or cowboys, dogs, and animals.
Outfitters and Guides
A number of Outfitters and Guides offer wilderness trips using backpacks, horses,
llamas, mules, and skis under permit from the Forest Service. Many outfitters
offer a range of opportunities from drop camps to deluxe services. Call the
Wallowa Mountains Visitor Center for a complete list of permittees. Refer to
the Outfitter Guide section for more detailed
information on services provided in each wilderness.
Current Information and Trail Conditions
Maps and Additional Information
Several companies are producing up-to-date, detailed hiking maps of the Eagle
Cap Wilderness. They are available through recreational and sporting goods
stores in the towns of Wallowa, Enterprise, and Joseph. You can also purchase
a map of this wilderness from the Forest Service offices throughout the Wallowa-Whitman
National Forest, from the Wallowa Mountains Visitor Center, or see the map
order form.
Current Issues and Opportunities
in the Eagle Cap Wilderness
The Role of Fire In Wilderness
Fire
is a natural and important part of the wilderness ecosystem. The Eagle Cap
Wilderness has a Prescribed Natural Fire Plan which directs managers to allow
lightning caused fires to burn when they mimic natural occurrences. In addition,
managers will occasionally ignite a fire under special prescriptions to reduce
unnatural full loads so that future lightning caused fires may be allowed to
burn. The Wallowa Mountains Visitor Center has current information on fire
situations.
Wilderness Planning
Wilderness managers continue to monitor conditions and visitor use to ensure
that Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) Standards are not being exceeded, as
required by law. This monitoring is done through campsite inventory, visitor
permits, water quality monitoring, range condition and trend, and other methods.
As a result of past monitoring, it has been determined that visitor use exceeds
capacity on some popular trails and in some areas during some times of the
year. This primarily occurs on trails leading into the Lakes Basin area and
in the Lakes Basin on weekends and holidays in July and August. Managers will
now collect information on biophysical resources to determine if this level
of use is causing a degradation of the biophysical resources beyond established
limits.
If you have comments or would like more information, see the Eagle
Cap Wilderness contact page.
Wilderness Restoration
During the summer and early fall, volunteers and wilderness rangers will continue
to obliterate and revegetate abandoned trails and illegal campsites in the
Lakes Basin Management Area and in other areas of the wilderness. The project
will correct drainage problems, make illegal campsites unusable, fill eroded
areas with soil and re-plant native grasses, shrubs, and trees.
You may observe temporary signs or possibly a rope barrier around some sites.
Please stay out of these areas and give them time to recover. If you would
like more information about these wilderness restoration projects, please
see the Eagle Cap Wilderness contact
page.
Volunteer Projects
See also the W-W Volunteering page
Welcome and thank you for your interest in the volunteer programs and opportunities
in the Eagle Cap Ranger District. The word "volunteer" is a magical
word to those who have utilized the power of a volunteer. The power is unleashed
when you see what kind of service is graciously given for what the volunteer
gets in return. It is not, however, the mighty dollar these volunteers are
after, they are seeking far more. To many, it is the satisfaction of contributing
to something they believe in and enjoy. To others volunteering provides a
means to meet new people, and some seek challenge both of mind and body.
At any rate,
volunteers have for decades dedicated thousands of hours to Forest Service
projects. Many of these projects would not have been completed without this
strong force of people. When budgets have declined and districts are unsure
how they will complete their work, volunteers have come out of the woodwork
to fill this gap. They take an active role in the management of our public
lands and are greatly appreciated for their incorrigible dedication to service.
The U.S. Forest Service continues to welcome those who are interested in challenging
opportunities found in managing forest resources. There is a guarantee in this
experience, you will see new country, meet new people, and share in a wealth
of ideas. Join us in trail maintenance, wilderness ranger work, being campground
hosts, interpreters, or visitor information assistants. The opportunities are
endless for volunteers. Join us in the experience of a new adventure.
The Eagle Cap Ranger District is currently seeking eager volunteers ready
for adventure and challenge. Spring, summer, and fall projects are in the planning
phase with hopes to kick off the work season by June. A variety of opportunities
are available. Volunteer Wilderness Rangers work full-time for the summer season
to assist with visitor information and education, campsite inventory and cleanup,
and restoration projects in the backcountry. The volunteer Wilderness Stewards
program provides the same opportunity for those willing to commit the equivalent
of 3 weekends per season. For more information please see the Eagle
Cap Wilderness contact page. |