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Pro
A view of the Wallowa Mts. from everywhere in town
Con
Its a long way from a big airport from which to travel the wide world.
In a nutshell
Oregon's Hidden Paradise, a lost corner of America
ZanieOR Says: One of the most photographed attractions in Wallowa County is a herd of black Clydesdales horses grazing in a large pasture along Highway 82, just a couple miles southeast of Enterprise headed for Joseph. Their backdrop is a spectacular view of the Wallowa Mountains.Usually...
mtncorg Says: A local brewpub in Enterprise makes some excellent beer that can be hard to find elsewhere. They bottle a super IPA which is a perfect beer for the environment - not too heavy, but not too light like a Milwaukie, St Louis, Coors or Mexican option. Just enough hop to remind...
mtncorg Says: Ice Lake lies at just under 8000 feet with some 2400 vertical feet being gained in a fairly short time from the West Wallowa Trail - trailhead near Wallowa Lake, total distance 7.5 miles. The lake is surrounded by peaks and meadows. It is a favorite destination for...
mtncorg Says: This mountain is hardly impressive when seen from Ice Lake, just to its east - the base from which the summit is usually climbed from. It is the second highest peak in the Wallowas, only a few feet lower than its much scragglier neighbor to the north, Sacajawea Peak. When...
mtncorg Says: While the Lake Basin is by far the most popular destination, for people wanting to do a reasonably short loop hike (reasonable meaning days instead of a week), the Lostine Loop offers a nice opportunity. I met several people who were going up the West and coming down the...
mtncorg Says: This is an incredible valley. You start off from the Two Pan trailhead at the end of the Lostine River Road in dense forests at about 5600 feet, flanked by mountains rising almost four thousand feet higher. For the first few miles, you ascend through forests and then climb a...
2 Reviews and 31 Opinions Friends who have stayed here loved it. It has 22 rooms on three floors, plus eight cabins, sited on...
61 Opinions
The Embers Brew House: Good Pizza and Calzone
ZanieOR Says: Embers is a good place to go for salad, pizza and calzone for dinner in a pub atmosphere. Good selection of microbrews, including of course offerings from the local Terminal Gravity. There is outdoor seating in the summer.
Wildflower Bakery: Bakery and restaurant
ZanieOR Says: Like many places in Joseph, Wildflower Bakery is only open for breakfast and lunch. It's a very good place to eat: I know my city friends were impressed. Not fancy but a whole grain, home atmosphere kind of place.It also sells fresh baked breads, rolls, cinnamon rolls,...
mtncorg Says: Nightlife in the mountains is up to you. In the popular Lake Basin and some other areas - ie Glacier Lake - campfires are prohibited. You can still sit our awhile resting tired bones while looking out over the landscape as it changes color, minute-to-minute, with the sunset....
Slim pickings: Night Life in Joseph
ZanieOR Says: To be honest, there's only a couple of places to go at night in Joseph -- The Hydrant Tavern, which has a pool table and where my daughter and her friends like to gather when she's home for karaoke (update: at least before she became a mother in Oct. '04) ; and the Stubborn...
Helpfulness
In addition to art galleries, Joseph has a number of neat places to shop -- especially for gift-type items -- and one of them is Mad Mary's
.
It's motto is "everything fun and fattening" and one of it's offerings is a large variety of homemade fudge. (Update:Now truffles and many other kinds of desserts)
It is a large store -- which is in the process of building a new and bigger space in the middle of town -- and one of the few stores open during the winter months on Sundays.
Mad Mary's is a fun place for both visitors and locals when they are in the mood for browsing or gift shopping.
(Update: as of May, 2005, Mad Mary's moved to its new, bigger home in the heart of downtown Joseph. It now has a large old-fashioned soda fountain serving a wide range of delectible desserts and fountain items, as well as espresso, etc. Mad Mary's is a wonderful store.)
What to buy: There's a lot of Western and country-type stuff , and a whole room for games and kids stuff.
Upstairs truly impressive unique log furniture made by a local company is for sale
What to pay: A very wide range of prices, from very inexpensive to very expensive (for the furniture)
Updated Jun 25, 2005
Address: In the middle of town on Main St.
ZanieOR Says: Cowboys are the real deal in Wallowa County. Guys (and women) wearing cowboy boots and hats and driving muddy pickups aren't playing games. They really do feed cattle, ride horses, brand calves, drive their herds from summer to winter pasture. In Wallowa County we've got...
Joseph. Pretty on the outside...
concioustraveller Says: I went here recently, admired the art and scenery, but was horrified to witness an African-American woman- a visitor, being totally jeered and taunted by locals on main street Joseph. I am not a local, I am Caucasian, and I am not on the "front lines" protesting the littlest...
Helpfulness
Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Let's see: you need cowboy boots for the rodeo, visiting Imnaha and horseback riding; hiking boots for treking in Eagle Cap Wilderness; beach shoes or flip-flops while hanging out at Wallowa Lake (those rocks can be sharp); walking shoes for exploring town; and running shoes for that morning jog along the lake. Oh, if you come in the winter bring your Sorrel snow boots and skis.
Evenings cool off even on the hottest days (usually below 90 degrees F., though last year was pretty hot), so don't forget a jacket or sweater. And it has been known to snow every month except August, though the summer is usually safe).
Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Joseph and Wallowa Lake has few mosquitoes during the summer, but the bugs can be plentiful in the wilderness, especially late summer. So bring bug repellent for camping trips into wilderness.
Photo Equipment: P.S. Don't forget the camera. You can't walk through Joseph in the summer without seeing folks taking photos of all our great sculptures.
Updated Apr 10, 2004
mtncorg Says: Somewhat lost in the drama of the Lake Basin is small Upper Lake, lying just beyond Mirror Lake. The lake is set at the head of the upper East Lostine Valley and serves as the river’s source. You can find a few fish in the lake and there are a few campsites hidden away. The...
ZanieOR Says: This could just as easily be in the "Must See" tip, as some of the trail heads are easily accessible, especially the one just above Wallowa Lake at the end of the road.Eagle Cap is the largest wilderness area in Oregon with some 350,000 acres, 53 Alpine Lakes and 47...
ZanieOR Says: Ferguson Ridge ski area is a locals ski area, featuring a T-bar and rope tow lift and a warming building with deck about 10 miles east of Joseph.The Eagle Cap Ski Club, which operates it, has been around for 50 years, and moved their ski slope to Fergi Ridge about 15 years...
ZanieOR Says: There is a beautiful nine-hole golf course in Enterprise (you just play twice for 18 holes). I'm not a golfer, but I guess Alpine Meadows has a reputation as one of the toughest courses in Eastern Oregon -- and the one with the most scenic view.There's a full service golf...
WANDER THROUGH WALLOWAN MEADOWS
mtncorg Says: Long a haunt for the Nez Perce Indians, now the Wallowas are protected as the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area. This is such a grand region to wander about in, whether you are fishing, hiking, climbing, riding or simply taking the dog for a walk.Long meadows in the summer, beckon...
DON'T FORGET TO SMELL THE FLOWERS
mtncorg Says: The mountain tops are superb and the fishing great, but all over the landscape, wildflowers further enlighten the landscape. The flowers bring butterflies and bees of all sorts and color combinations. It is an amazing sight to have the opportunity to wander amongst.
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My home page has some photos and information about Joseph, population about 1,200, which is the second largest of four incorporated cities in Wallowa County, population 7,000, Oregon's most...
JOSEPH - GATEWAY TO OREGON’S ALPS
Joseph is a small town at the head of the Wallowa Valley - there are three other small towns also in the valley. It is well-known for its artistic bronze industry - artists and foundry - with bold,......
When I am homesick for Oregon, this is the place I miss the most. I think it is one of the most beautiful places I have been to. I lived in Joseph for one summer while working at Wallowa Lake. It was...
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