How difficult is Hells Canyon Scenic Byway?

Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is rated easy. The route runs 218 miles.

When is the best time to visit Hells Canyon Scenic Byway?

The best months are Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct. Avoid Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar.

Guides/Overland routes/Oregon

Overland route218 midifficulty: easy

Hells Canyon Scenic Byway

RegionOregonAgencyU.S. Forest Service, Oregon Department of TransportationLast verified—

USDA Forest Service - Pacific Northwest Region

Trail vitals6 facts

Length

218mi

Technical difficulty

Easy

Direction

Loop

Vehicle

Standard passenger vehicle for the paved sections; the gravel Forest Road 39 segment is suitable for stock 2WD in dry conditions and closed by snow most of the year.

Best months

Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct

Cell coverage

Reliable in Joseph, Enterprise, Halfway, and Baker City; gone on Forest Road 39 between Salt Creek Summit and the Hells Canyon Overlook spur.

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The Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is a 218-mile loop in northeast Oregon designated as a National Forest Scenic Byway in 1992 and an All-American Road in 2000. It links La Grande, Joseph, Halfway, and Baker City via Oregon 82, 350, and 86 and the gravel Forest Road 39 across the southern Wallowa Mountains. The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest manages the byway corridor and the Hells Canyon Overlook spur off FR 39.

The paved sections stay open year-round. Forest Road 39 — known locally as the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road — closes to through-traffic when snow lands on Salt Creek Summit, which usually means late October through early June. Most drivers run the full loop in two days, basing one night in Joseph or Halfway.

Hazards

Read before you go

Seasonal closure on FR 39. Snow closes the gravel segment most years from late October through early June. Check the Wallowa-Whitman supervisor's office for current status before relying on it.
No services on FR 39. No fuel, no potable water, no cell coverage between Joseph and Halfway.
Wildlife on the road. Deer and elk are common at dawn and dusk in the Wallowa Valley and on FR 39.
Sudden weather at Salt Creek Summit. The summit sits at 6,100 ft and draws thunderstorms in summer and snow squalls into late spring.
Long distances between hospitals. The nearest hospital on the loop is in Enterprise; the next is in Baker City. Plan accordingly.

Location

218 mi · Overland route

Approx. location 45.063, -116.839

Trail facts

5 fields

Agency	U.S. Forest Service, Oregon Department of Transportation
Nearest town	Joseph, Oregon
Website	www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman
Closed	Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar
Approx. location	45.063, -116.839

Getting there

Directions

From La Grande (western entrance). Take I-84 to exit 261 and follow Oregon 82 east through Elgin, Wallowa, Lostine, and Enterprise to Joseph. From Joseph, continue south on Wallowa Lake Highway and turn east onto Forest Road 39.

From Baker City (southern entrance). Take I-84 to exit 302 and follow Oregon 86 east through Richland and Halfway. To run the loop counterclockwise from Halfway, continue west on FR 39 over Salt Creek Summit and drop into Joseph.

Most drivers run the loop counterclockwise from La Grande, hitting Joseph in the morning and Halfway by evening, then returning via Oregon 86 and Baker City the next day.

Photos

8 photos

Photos · 8

Field notes

Getting Oriented

The byway forms a tall lopsided loop in Oregon's northeast corner. The western leg climbs from La Grande on I-84 up the Wallowa Valley to Joseph at the foot of the Wallowas. The southern leg is Forest Road 39, the only road that crosses the range south of Wallowa Lake. The eastern leg drops out of the mountains to Halfway and the Pine Valley, then the southern leg is Oregon 86 along the Powder River back to Baker City and I-84.

The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest manages the FR 39 segment and the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area to the east. The Hells Canyon Overlook is a paved 3-mile spur off FR 39 with a long view east into Idaho across the deepest river gorge in North America.

Trail Overview

A 218-mile loop. Roughly 164 miles is paved two-lane state highway; 54 miles on FR 39 is improved gravel. The gravel segment is graded annually and stays passable for stock 2WD when it's dry; it's the part that closes seasonally with snow on Salt Creek Summit.

The byway's most-photographed views are not on the byway itself — they're on the Hells Canyon Overlook spur, the Buckhorn Overlook road north of Imnaha, and Hat Point Road, which is a separate trip. The byway delivers the scaffolding (Wallowa Lake, the Eagle Cap massif, the Powder River canyon, Halfway's hayfields), and the side roads deliver the canyon views.

Points of Interest

Wallowa Lake. A glacial moraine lake at the south end of Joseph, with state park camping, a lake-end resort village, and the Wallowa Lake Tramway up Mount Howard.
Joseph. A small ranching town turned bronze-art hub at the byway's northern apex.
Salt Creek Summit Sno-Park. The high point of FR 39 at 6,100 ft, with a paved parking area and the road's first reliable winter closure.
Hells Canyon Overlook. The paved spur off FR 39 with a fenced overlook into the Snake River canyon, 5,400 ft above the river.
Halfway. A ranching town in Pine Valley with a couple of motels and the Pine Valley Lodge, the byway's eastern overnight stop.
Hells Canyon Dam Road. Paved access from Oxbow on Oregon 86 to the Hells Canyon Dam visitor center, 22 miles down the Snake on the Idaho side.
Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area. Off the byway's western leg via OR 7 from Baker City, with a preserved 1930s gold dredge.

Where to Camp

Wallowa Lake State Park, on the byway's northern end, is the best-developed and busiest option (reserve in summer). Forest Road 39 has a string of small Wallowa-Whitman campgrounds — Lick Creek, Coverdale, Hidden, Black Lake — most with vault toilets and no water. Pine Valley, near Halfway, has the small private Halfway RV Park. Dispersed camping is allowed on Wallowa-Whitman National Forest land along FR 39 and its side roads.

Tips for a Safe and Enjoyable Trip

The FR 39 segment is the variable. Confirm it's open before relying on it; the Wallowa-Whitman supervisor's office (541-523-6391) and the Hells Canyon NRA office in Enterprise (541-426-5546) hold current status.
Allow a full day for the gravel section if you stop at the Hells Canyon Overlook. The view is the reason this loop is on the All-American Roads list.
Hat Point Road and Buckhorn Overlook are separate side trips. Both add a half day each and require driving back to Imnaha.
Fuel is reliable in Joseph, Halfway, Baker City, and La Grande. There is no fuel on the FR 39 segment between Joseph and Halfway (75 road-miles).
Cell service drops on Forest Road 39 once you leave Joseph; expect no service to Halfway.

Frequently asked

Common questions

How difficult is Hells Canyon Scenic Byway?: Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is rated easy. The route runs 218 miles.
What kind of vehicle do you need for Hells Canyon Scenic Byway?: Standard passenger vehicle for the paved sections; the gravel Forest Road 39 segment is suitable for stock 2WD in dry conditions and closed by snow most of the year.
When is the best time to visit Hells Canyon Scenic Byway?: The best months are Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct. Avoid Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar.
Is there cell service at Hells Canyon Scenic Byway?: Reliable in Joseph, Enterprise, Halfway, and Baker City; gone on Forest Road 39 between Salt Creek Summit and the Hells Canyon Overlook spur.