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Quick Facts
Key facts you need to know:
Quick Facts About The Hells Canyon Scenic Byway
- The route of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is a loop that encircles the Wallowa Mountains, intersecting with Interstate 84 at La Grande and Baker City.
- Plan ahead. You'll find stretches of more than eighty miles without gas and with few services. A segment of the Byway between Joseph and Halfway closes with snow in winter, but allows access to winter recreation areas.
- There are five ports of entry into the Byway: La Grande from I-84, Elgin via OR Hwy. 204, Enterprise via OR Hwy. 3, Oxbow via Idaho Hwy.71, and Baker City from I-84. To encompass the entire route, this itinerary follows the Byway traveling from La Grande to Baker City, but driving the route in reverse is just as appealing.
- You can drive the Hells Canyon Road in about four hours, but to really enjoy it, you will need a few days. You should reserve accommodations prior to your trip.
- Before starting out, take notice of the travel times as well as mileage between stops, and keep your fuel tank as full as possible.
- Be prepared for temperatures that vary as much as fifty degrees as the day wears on.
Design A Memorable Hells Canyon Road Trip
Reach extraordinary new heights of travel. Use the Top 10 Scenic Drives in the Northern Rockies to plan a trip on the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway.
Hells Canyon All-American Road
Head to the Oregon Rockies to access the deepest canyon in North America – with extraordinary boating, wildlife viewing, geological wonders, and exhilarating outdoor adventure.
Your Guide To Hells Canyon In Idaho And Oregon
Leave life’s fast pace behind and retreat to slower times and wilder places. Spanning Idaho and Oregon , Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is one of America’s most gorgeous routes. Drive the open road and be invigorated by blue skies, fresh air, and a more relaxed way of life. Have lunch overlooking a wild and scenic river. Share a canyon road with a cattle drive. Pass through lush valleys, rimmed by the snow-tipped Wallowa Mountains. Enjoy panoramic views of the impressive Oregon Rocky Mountains. Or access the deepest canyon in North America – with extraordinary boating, wildlife viewing, geological wonders, and exhilarating outdoor adventure. Life is a lot more exciting on Hells Canyon All-American Road.
Hells Canyon - which this byway is named after - is North America’s deepest river gorge and encompasses a vast and remote region with dramatic changes in elevation, terrain, climate and vegetation. When Congress passed the Wild and Scenic River Act in 1975, 31.5 miles of the Snake River from Hells Canyon to Upper Pittsburghh Landing (near White Bird) were designated ‘wild’. This river also has a ‘scenic’ designation for the 36 miles below Pittsburghh Landing, heading north. The total 75 mile stretch of the ‘Wild and Scenic’ Snake River from the Hells Canyon Dam northward for 75 miles to the Washington-Oregon border is largely inaccessible except by river craft.
Carved by the great Snake River, Hells Canyon plunges 8,000 feet below snowcapped He Devil Peak of the Seven Devils Mountains. It attracts whitewater rafters, jetboaters, hikers, campers and outdoor adventurers worldwide.
Offering Great Views Of The Idaho And Oregon Rocky Mountains
Reach extraordinary new heights of travel. Use the Top 10 Scenic Drives in the Northern Rockies to plan a trip on the Hells Canyon All-American Road.
