WALLOWA COUNTY INFORMATION

Use the links on the left to further explore the area.

WALLOWA COUNTY GEOLOGY

Wallowa County encompasses an area of 2,033,920 acres or 3,178 square miles. The county is composed of towering mountains, deep canyons, rugged rims, plateaus, and rolling hills in the north east corner of the state. Hell’s Canyon is approximately one mile from the rim to the canyon floor.

There are 53 lakes, and 3,100 streams in Wallowa County. There is no wonder the Indian name for the area means “Land of Winding Waters”.

This is a land of contrasts unequaled in scenic beauty with elevations that vary from 1,500 to 10,000 feet. Our spectacular snow capped mountains have earned us the nick- name of “Little Switzerland of America”. Many visitors never get to see the incomparable able Eagle Cap Wilderness area or remote areas in the Hell’s Canyon Recreation area.

The Blue Mountains cross the northern end of the valley, and the Wallowa’s the south end. Although the Wallowa Mountains are one of the smaller mountain ranges in the Northwest, they are one of the most rugged, with Sacajawea reaching a breathtaking 10,033 feet.

WALLOWA COUNTY CLIMATE

The high encircling mountains protect the valley from the more severe aspects of most storms that cross this region. You can watch the storms forming in the mountains from Joseph, Enterprise, Lostine and Wallowa. Many times summer storms will bring spectacular thunder and lighting storms over the mountains.

The valley has a comparatively dry climate with a major portion of the precipitation coming in the spring and fall months.

Heavy snows at higher elevations produce deep snow packs that remain year round on the higher peaks. Light snow can usually be expected in the valley between late November and mid-March or early April. This late snow usually doesn't’t stay long.

During the winter months, cold air forming on the higher slopes drains into the valley and is pocketed there resulting in fairly low temperatures; normally in the 20’s. Several times a year, thunderstorms can be accompanied by hail and high winds.

Fog may persist in the county for a couple weeks, usually in the lower valley.