The Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is a 218-mile loop encircling the Wallowa Mountains, intersecting with Interstate 84 at La Grande and Baker City. Extremes in the land define this Byway and have likewise shaped the region’s cultural history. At the eastern edge of the Byway is the Hells Canyon stretch of the Snake River, North America’s deepest gorge. It boasts hair-raising rapids, awesome rock formations, and many signs of the indigenous peoples that once called this vast area home. 

https://www.tripcheck.com/Pages/Scenic-Byways-Hells-Canyon

Length	213 miles
States	1 – Oregon
Astronomy Sites	5

Astronomy

Eastern Oregon has amazing opportunities for viewing the night sky, as these sites are close to the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve.

Wallowa Lake

Wallowa Lake is a ribbon lake 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Joseph, Oregon, United States, at an elevation of 4,372 ft (1,333 m). Impounded by high moraines, it was formed by a series of Pleistocene glaciers. On the south end of the lake is a small community made up of vacation homes, lodging, restaurants, as well as other small businesses. Wallowa Lake has been used for recreation since at least 1880, with the souther tip of the lake being Wallowa Lake State Park. The Lake is a bit farther away from populated areas than other sites covered, but this state park provides is one of the best available star gazing opportunities in Oregon!

Umatilla National Forest

The Umatilla National Forest, in the Blue Mountains of northeast Oregon and southeast Washington, covers an area of 1.4 million acres. Discovery of gold in Oregon in 1851 led to the settlement of the North Fork John Day River area. More than $10 million in gold and silver were mined, and remnants of the era are still visible in the National Forest. The Forest has a plethora of hikes, viewpoints, and panoramas for viewing the skies, the Milky Way, and provide opportunities to take great photos with DSLR.

Eagle Cap Wilderness

The Eagle Cap Wilderness lies in the heart of the Wallowa Mountains in northeastern Oregon on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Eagle Cap Wilderness is named after a peak in the Wallowa Mountains, which were once called the Eagle Mountains. At 9,572 feet, Eagle Cap was incorrectly thought to be the highest peak in the range. 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.

These lakes, meadows, and valleys provide amazing opportunities for viewing the stars, Milky Way, and night sky. Plus, this provides a fantastic backdrop for DSLR photography.

Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

The Wallowa–Whitman National Forest is a United States National Forest in the U.S. states of Oregon and Idaho. The forest is named for the Wallowa band of the Nez Perce people, who originally lived in the area, and Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, Presbyterian missionaries who settled just to the north in 1836. The national forest may be divided into several distinct sections, which together cover 2,300,000 acres of land, including 600,000 acres of designated wilderness. The forest has a plethora of valleys, panoramas, and clearings that are fantastic for viewing and photographic the skies!

Hells Canyon National Recreation Area/Hells Canyon Dam

Hells Canyon National Recreation Area is a recreation area on the borders of the states of Oregon and Idaho. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service as part of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, the recreation area was established by Congress and signed by President Gerald Ford in late 1975 to protect the historic and archaeological values of the Hells Canyon area and the area of the Snake River between Hells Canyon Dam and the Oregon–Washington border. This area provides a great opportunity to stargaze and take photos in this remote and beautiful landscape.

Camping/Lodging

Although this isn’t an exhaustive list, it is a list that will serve well as the opportunities provided to camp are representative of major camping and lodging opportunities along the byway.

Wallowa Lake State Park

Situated between the south end of a scenic glacial lake and the towering peaks of the Wallowa Mountains, Wallowa Lake State Park is an ideal base camp for wilderness treks and watersports fun. Reservations can be made 6 months in advance through oregonstateparks.reserveamerica.com. There are 121 Full-hookup sites, and 88 tent sites with water nearby that are available for reservation.

Catherine Creek State Park

Located near LaGrande Oregon, Catherine Creek State Park has 20 primitive sites with water nearby. Cradled in a canyon created by the creek, the park provides visitors a cool, quiet, and peaceful setting for outdoor activities.

Umatilla National Forest

The Umatilla National Forest offers almost 40 campgrounds and 13 cabin rentals to meet a variety of overnight experiences.  Amenities vary from site to site providing opportunities from back-country “roughing it” to hot showers and a comfy bed.

Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest offers a wide range of overnight camping experiences, with most campgrounds tend to be rustic with minimal amenities as the sites range from full hookup campsites with dozens of places to park your RV, to old Forest Service Guard Stations for rent, to small campgrounds where car camping, tents and overhead campers are more common.

Hells Canyon National Recreation Area/Hells Canyon Dam

Areas for Campground Camping at Hells Canyon National Recreation Area- Snake River include the Kirkwood Ranch and Pittsburg Campground. The Pittsburg Campground also provides RV camping.

Make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and make sure to view our other unique astronomy roadtrips such as this one for more places to view astronomy when on a roadtrip.