EXPLORE NORTHEAST OREGON
THE HELLS CANYON SCENIC BYWAY

ROUTE INFORMATION

THE ROAD

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. Small towns, scattered along the drive, offer visitor services. The entire route is on a paved highway. 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, offering a whole other kind of Northeast Oregon Adventure. Visitor information for communities in each of the three counties through which the byway passes is available by clicking the links at left.

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.

BYWAY TRAVEL SAVVY

• You can drive the Byway in about four hours, but to really enjoy it, you will need a few days. We recommend you reserve lodging 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.
• If you plan to hike, ski, snowmobile or otherwise explore off the main Byway routes, pick up detailed maps and additional information from the offices listed on the menu to the left.
• Be prepared for temperatures that vary as much as fifty degrees as the day wears on.
• Remember to take along your camera, extra film or memory cards, binoculars, a picnic or snack foods, plant and wildlife guides, first aid kit, drinking water, a blanket and jackets.