Nez Perce Art in the Wallowa on October 1, 2011

Wednesday, September 7, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

Nez Perce Art Show and American Indian Art Show near Joseph Oregon

We're already getting into fall in Eastern Oregon which means it's time for the 15th Annual Nez Perce Art in the Wallowa. The 2011 event gets underway with the art show and auction from noon to 4 pm at the Wallowa Lake Lodge (the historic Wallowa Lake hotel), followed by dinner and a program at 6 pm in the hotel's dining room. The show & auction are free to the public and the dinner & program are $45 per person.

As in many years, artwork by Native American artist George Flett will be available at auction along with other outstanding Native American artists. Flett's ledger art is the subject of this year's poster (above). The original artwork for this poster will be auctioned off at this year's event.

Bill & I always make it a point to go. The food is always excellent, the programs vary each year, and the cause is definitely worth supporting. This year's dinner includes fresh salmon, locally grown buffalo and garden favorites, huckleberry cheese cake, and a no-host bar featuring regional wine. Add the entertainment and off you go!

Native American performing artists this year are the top two hand drum contest winners from the 2011 Tamkaliks Celebration. Francis Dionne of Boise, Idaho, and Chris Shorty of Pendleton, Oregon, will entertain dinner guests with drumming and singing.

The Wallowa Lake Lodge is about a 10 minute drive away from the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast. We still have two vacancies for Saturday night. If you'd like to attend, contact us promptly for your room reservation and we'll secure dinner tickets for you. The dinner tickets sell out quickly so please don't procrastinate.

Wallowa Lake and the Wallowa Mountain Country from Joe's Point of View

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

Here's a wonderful video of stills shot by one of our favorite Wallowa County photographers, Joe Whittle. Just bumped into this today and couldn't wait to share it through our blog. Joe really captures the spirit of what it's like to be here in this Eastern Oregon wonderland. Worth the view--and the music's good too.

Even autumn and winter can be a great time for vacationing in the Wallowas. When you're looking for the Wallowa Lake hotel, don't forget to look about 5 miles down the road in Joseph Oregon. You'll find restaurants, shops, a fly shop and other places you might need in the off-season. And a little bit more convenient. Oh, and you'll find us too here at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast.

Want to know more about Joe Whittle and his photography? Check out his blog at http://www.windinglightadventures.blogspot.com/ You'll find the back story to some of the images included in the video. Me, I'm going to watch the video again. . .

SCUBA Diving at Wallowa Lake is a Rather Chilly Proposition

Saturday, August 13, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

We don't get many scuba divers or snorkelers at Wallowa Lake--I'm guessing it's because the water is so cold (even in summer) and the lake is at elevation (4400 feet above sea level). However, a local (LaGrande, OR) diver with the moniker "Bluesman" posted a couple of years ago about diving at Wallowa Lake on the Northwest Dive Club website.

I especially like his comment about Wally. Doesn't every lake have its own sea monster? Rumor has it that the locals used to sacrifice a virgin to Wally every year--maybe to improve the fishing? Don't know--it predates our arrival in Eastern Oregon.

If you do plan a dive at Wallowa Lake you'll need to bring along as many cylinders as you'll need in addition to you hood and booties. Checking with the Wallowa Lake Marina reveals that there aren't any locations in Wallowa County to get tanks refilled. In fact, they think the closest dive shop is in the Tri-Cities area of Washington (about 3 hours away by car).

But you won't need to worry about rinsing out your gear--Wallowa Lake is snowfed and the water is very pure--just a little on the cold side.

Wallowa Lake

by Bluesman » Fri Oct 10, 2008 2:22 pm

Dive Site Name: Wallowa Lake

Skill Level: All Divers.

Current Sensitive: No.

Location/Address: Northeast Oregon. End of the road on Oregon Hwy. 82.

Directions: Out of La Grande, OR head east on Oregon Hwy. 82. Pass through Enterprise and Joseph to the north end of the lake.

Free Parking: yes

Staging Area: good, late Spring through early Fall parking lots may be busy with lots of tourists.

Surface Swim: Not much on either end of the lake. Depending on time of year as depth varies, Divers can be in 10 ft. of water on the way to 20-30 ft. in 50-75 yards from shore.

Nearby Facilities: At the Joseph end or north end a nice paved parking lot, boat launch and dock. Bathrooms, some grass and picnic tables. At the south end there is a marina, state park and adjacent campground, grass picnic tables, rest rooms and paved parking. Entry is relatively easy from shore or possibly the boat ramp. Lots of tourist things to do with go carts, horses, hikes and the Mt. Howard tram. Booking at the campsite must be done well in advance with Oregon State Parks. Advance bookings with the Wallowa Lake Lodge or other cabins/motels are also important. (Editor's aside: A stay at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast in Joseph Oregon wouldn't be a bad idea either!)

Special Considerations: Motor boats, paddle boats. Water Skiing in the larger part of the lake.

Maximum Depth: The Lake at its deepest is well past any diver’s limits, around 400 feet. Most of the edges are 10 to 60 feet. Of course, more depth is possible.

Dive Site Description: Snow fed water source out of the High Wallowa Mountains. Visibility is good year round; probably in the 15- 20 ft range mostly. I would suppose at times more clarity. Water temps range downward from 55 degrees. Much colder in the spring/early summer than Fall. Rock and mud bottoms. Submerged logs, branches. Possibly some old car bodies in places, supposedly railroad logging equipment was dumped in the lake. Not a lot of life but one can see Trout, Crayfish, Others. Wally the lake monster.

Labor Day Weekend in Northeastern Oregon

Tuesday, August 9, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

It's nearly time for Labor Day Weekend and the last hurrah of summer. If you're thinking about a Joseph Oregon vacation, now is the time to plan if you'd still like to take advantage of the widest availability of things to see and do at Wallowa Lake and Joseph Oregon.

Vali's Alpine Restaurant at Wallowa Lake Oregon is open for dinner from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend from Wednesday through Saturday

Vali's Alpine Restaurant closes after Sunday of Labor Day Weekend. If you haven't had the chance yet to have dinner with Maggie and Michael and Dionne then you'd best book your reservation soon! They offer only one entree choice per night, with only two seatings (5 pm and 7 pm and by reservation only) and they do not accept credit cards. Don't let these restrictions deter you from one of the finest meals and restaurant atmospheres in Wallowa County.

You'll find their menu and more information at their website.

We do have bed and breakfast guests that book their dinner reservations with Vali's first and then look for their Wallowa Lake lodging--call them at 541-432-5691 to reserve your table on the night of your choosing.

The Wallowa Lake Marina shuts down for the season around mid-September so you'll have a little extra time to take out a motorboat, kayak, paddle boat or canoe. And the Marina Store has all the things that fishing people need plus great tips from Gina and her staff.

And the Wallowa Lake Tramway is scheduled to close around the first weekend of October 2011. They're especially busy over Labor Day Weekend--if you plan to ride the tram, you might consider the two-day pass that allows for two opportunities to soak in the view. Landscape photography is always better at the ends of the day rather than at noon. With a two-day pass, you can plan to be the first up the tram one day and last up the tram on the next.

Regardless of what you choose to do over Labor Day Weekend, if you're looking for a Wallowa Lake hotel or some Joseph Oregon hotels, we hope you'll consider our bed and breakfast. With dedicated air-conditioning and an attached private bathroom for each guest room and plenty of amenities, we think your Labor Day Weekend vacation in Eastern Oregon will be all the richer for staying at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast. Thanks!

Late snow in the Wallowa Mountains of Eastern Oregon

Sunday, August 7, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

This year it's very late snow in the Wallowa Mountains of Eastern Oregon. I didn't realize quite how deep, however!

Rich posted this article and wonderful photograph in the Outdoors blog of The Spokesman Review, the local newspaper in Spokane, WA, on August 3, 2011:

Whiteness greets hikers slogging deep into Eagle Cap Wilderness

BACKPACKING — The photo above shows Jeff Lambert of the Spokane Mountaineers in the last weekend of July along with Mirror Lake and Eagle Cap Peak from Carper Pass — all popular backpacking destinations in the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

The shot is worth a thousand words and a lot of slogging.

The high backcountry in the Wallowa Mountains of northeastern Oregon requires hikers to be equipped for snow, including self-arrest tools.

Yahoo! You'd think this was a photo from the Spring, not from August! I'm thinking that there will still be snow from 2010-2011 when the 2011-2012 snow season starts again in September.

If you're planning your Eastern Oregon vacation to include some hiking in the Wallowa Mountains, consider using the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast in Joseph Oregon as a starting or ending point. Nothing like a bit of pampering before or after the trail, especially this year. And, we'll await your phone call to ensure you made it out of the mountains.

Buying local and supporting independently owned businesses

Sunday, July 31, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

The Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast, just like most bed and breakfast lodging, is a small, independently owned business. Once we retired from the US Army, Bill and I opened the Bronze Antler B&B in June 2001 because we wanted to own our own business and keep it a manageable size.

Sine then we have hosted guests from all over looking for an Eastern Oregon vacation spot. We currently employ three fantastic staff members and are proud to provide local jobs.

And we buy local as often as we can from local markets, hardware stores, and other businesses. And we blog about them too.

We recently learned of the "Independent We Stand" website and movement, encouraging the public to support independently owned businesses. We definitely fit the profile and are listed on their site.

If you know of indie businesses your support, encourage them to list themselves on Independent We Stand--and remember that just a little bit of local partronage goes a long way to supporting a community!

Things to do at Wallowa Lake: Wallowa Lake Marina

Saturday, July 30, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

Wallowa Lake Marina as photographed by Stephanie D on Yelp.com

The Wallowa Lake Marina supplies just one of the many things to do at Wallowa Lake in Northeastern Oregon. Rent a motorboat, a paddle boat, canoe, kayak, rowboat, or the 21 foot pontoon boat!

Stephanie D. from Sacramento, CA, recently reviewed the Wallowa Lake Marina on Yelp! and had this to say:

Wallowa Lake is a beautiful destination in North Eastern Oregon. The marina provides visitors with canoe, motorboat, kayak, rowboat, party boats, and paddleboats for reasonable prices. You can also purchase fishing licenses here for one or numerous days. The lake is also great to swim, play with your dogs in the water, or view the beautiful scenery and wildlife. The staff is very friendly and will be able to answer any of your questions. I hope you enjoy Wallowa Lake as much as I did.

Stephanie D. also submitted 15 photos of the Wallowa Lake Marina with her review. The image displayed here is just one of them.

Our Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast guests often take a boat out for part of the day to enjoy views of the moraines surrounding Wallowa Lake, or maybe to get in a little fishing. Plenty of lake trout and kokanee await you--some could even be world record fish.

If you'd like to contact the Wallowa Lake Marina directly, call (541) 432-9115 or check their very informative website at wallowalakemarina.com They're open 8 am to 8 pm until Labor Day, then 10 am to 6 pm until they close for the season (sometime around September 15th).

Looking forward to seeing you at Wallowa Lake!

Artists in our Bed and Breakfast

Friday, July 8, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

You just never know who's coming through the door when you own a bed and breakfast. We often have artists stay with us when they're visiting Wallowa County and Joseph Oregon.

We recently hosted raku potter Boni Deal and her daughter Sarah for a mother-daughter Eastern Oregon vacation. Sarah's leaving soon for 2+ years in Africa to teach elementary school-aged children.

We supplied Boni and Sarah with names of local potters they might visit including:
Jim and Anne Shelly of FireWorks Clay Art
Ted Juve of Olaf Pottery
LH Project

Turns out that Boni knows the FireWorks Clay Art from regional art shows but hadn't actually talked with them. She really enjoyed touring their studio up on Hurricane Creek Road near Joseph.

The mother and daughter had a great visit--did a little hiking in the Wallowa Mountains, toured downtown Joseph Oregon, visited Wallowa Lake--as well as visiting FireWorks Clay Art.

Perhaps we'll be able to interest her in the Wallowa Valley Festival of Arts, our juried art show in Joseph Oregon that takes place every year during the first weekend of June.

Last minute availability in Joseph Oregon for 4th of July Weekend

Thursday, June 30, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

Sawtooth Mountain Room at the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast in Joseph Oregon

It doesn't happen often but every now and then we get a last minute cancellation. One person's loss, but another person's gain. If you need a room in Joseph OR this weekend for Friday & Saturday nights, July 1 and 2, 2011, have we got a room for you!

The Sawtooth Mountain Room is definitely one of our more popular rooms at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast and suitable for a quick Oregon romantic getaway.

Private attached bath, queen-sized bed with luxurious linens, air-conditioning (though you probably won't need it), views of the Wallowa Mountains to the west and Enterprise to the north. And don't forget the great breakfasts! We'll even speak German if that makes your stay more comfortable (Heather will, Bill and Madigan won't).

It's all yours. Too late for you to use our online reservation system. Give us a call at 866-520-9769 (toll-free) or 541-432-0230 and we'll be happy to start off right your 4th of July Weekend 2011 in Eastern Oregon.

Lazuli Bunting Makes His Appearance in Eastern Oregon

Sunday, June 19, 2011 by Inside the Bronze Antler

Lazuli Bunting image copyrighted by Tom Munson as seen on the Idaho Fish & Game website

I have to say that I saw the bird before she did. Here we are in mid-June and we saw our first male Lazuli Bunting at the feeder. Haven't seen any females yet but they're not as dramatic as the males.

This is our first sighting of this bird since we started keeping track of what birds are coming to the feeder. He seems to prefer the cracked corn mix to the sunflower seeds.

What a gorgeous blue color against the backdrop of snow on the Wallowa Mountains!

If part of your romantic getaway Oregon style includes birdwatching, swing by and check out this Lazuli Bunting. Of course, we don't know how often he'll be here, but there are plenty of birds to see in Joseph Oregon and at Wallowa Lake.

An Eastern Oregon Vacation Isn't Complete Without A Cattle Drive!

Sunday, May 29, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

Eastern Oregon cattle drive on the way to the Zumwalt Prairie in Wallowa County Oregon

Anyone from Eastern Oregon knows that an Eastern Oregon vacation isn't complete without a cattle drive.

Especially when you're in the middle of it!

Bill & I decided to drive out to the Zumwalt Prairie today to see what's blooming on the Nature Conservancy's land. As we came through the intersection of Crow Creek Road and Zumwalt Road, the sign said, "Cattle Drive Next 14 Miles." Hmmm. . .

At mile 12 or so, we found them. Lots of cattle. Lots of calves. Lots of mooing by cows checking on their calves. And a few stalwart cattle dogs, cowboys and cowgirls to keep the cattle on track. One mounted cowboy offered to lead us through the herd so we could get on our way. "Stay close," he advised. One needs to know the proper etiquette around such matters.

Not far from Hells Canyon National Recreation Area or the Zumwalt Prairie. Stay with us at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast and we won't necessarily guarantee you your own cattle drive, but we'll point you in the right direction!

And Bill says we stand out in the herd (ha).

Early Morning Photography in Eastern Oregon

Wednesday, May 25, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

This last week one of our guests disappeared about 5:15 a.m. Bill just happened to be up and heard the front door close, then noticed that one of the guest cars was missing from the bed and breakfast parking area.

Breakfast at the Bronze Antler Bed and Breakfast in Joseph Oregon Eastern Oregon. Photo by Unique Angles Photography

Renee Bryant, our guest, was out in search of the elusive morning light. Renee is a naturalist photographer and has put together a wonderful website of her images. You'll find it at PhotoArtByRenee.com. Lovely images of landscapes, nature up close, flowers and other images. You can view her photo galleries here. And puchase an image or two that pleases you!

Unfortunately her "transparent" images wouldn't allow me to share any of them here on the blog, but take a moment to view her work.

We're not quite sure just where she went that morning. It could've been Wallowa Lake or perhaps downtown Joseph Oregon or even farther afield. Hard to say. But she was back in time for breakfast!

Eastern Oregon Vacation for Birdwatching

Tuesday, May 24, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

Image of Black-headed Grosbeak by Evan Davis, NPS, and courtesy of WeForAnimals.com. One of the birds you can see at our Hells Canyon lodging in Joseph Oregon.

Spring is a great time of year for birdwatching in Eastern Oregon. Many species are on their way back from winter in the south or just passing through on their way north. And because we're so far east in Oregon close to Hells Canyon, you'll see the intercontinental birds that you won't necessarily find near the Oregon coast.

Bill put up feeders in the south garden last year so guests at breakfast can enjoy birds having their breakfast too.

Who's on the feeder this week? We're seeing our first Black-headed Grosbeaks, both male & female. The Western Goldfinch and the House Finch have been eating us out of house and home when it comes to sunflower seeds. Downy (or Hairy--can't tell them apart) Woodpeckers drop by for a quick bit of suet. Flickers are also suet fans.

Of course an Eastern Oregon vacation wouldn't be complete for birdwatching without a trip out to the Zumwalt Prairie. Plenty of raptors and other species, plus the wildflowers are starting to bloom. Guests of our Hells Canyon lodging are equipped with maps, binoculars and what-have-you for a visit to the Zumwalt Prairie. Only about an hour away and Oregon's largest privately owned nature sanctuary--it's worth the trip!

A getaway for parents of young children

Friday, April 29, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

Relax a little and read a book in the Mirror Lake Suite at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast in Joseph, OR. A perfect getaway for parents of young children.

We all know the look--dragging, dark circles under the eyes, somewhat sleep deprived--parents of young children sometimes need a break. Thank goodness for two things: Grandparents and the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast!

We recently hosted a Pacific NW couple who were conveniently able to drop off the kiddos with the doting grandparents. They made their way to Eastern Oregon without a specific destination or reservation, perhaps thinking they'd find some Joseph Oregon hotels or maybe a Wallowa Lake hotel, but instead they found us.

A quote from the room journal:

What a great overnight getaway for parents of young children! Not only did we escape children waking in the night (and early AM)--we were completely pampered! Thank you, Heather--sorry to miss you, Bill!--for a lovely stay and delicious breakfast. We are so glad we stopped to inquire--we will definitely be back! Best wishes to you both as you continue to share such a fun profession! Many thanks-- J&E, Spokane, WA

Hmmm. . .I wonder whether the grandparents will be looking for a respite anytime soon?

Is the road open between Joseph Oregon and Halfway?

Monday, April 25, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

Seems like every spring people start searching, wanting to know if the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway road between Joseph and Halfway is open. Here we are after Easter 2011 and it's not yet open for the season--sometime in May is more like it. This road is not plowed so the opening date is (among other things) weather dependent.

In late Spring 2010 the road suffered major damage in a few places from spring runoff. The roadbed was repaired by Fall 2010 but not paved in those damaged places. We're hoping that the paving will occur in Summer 2011. You can see an interesting video about the repair here (one of my blog posts from last year).

Does anyone have friends in high places? Would you please convince them we need this road paved soonest? And while you're at it, the rest of Forest Road 39 could use a new surfacing too! This road, as remote as it is, is very important to Eastern Oregon travel and the communities of Wallowa Lake, Joseph Oregon and Halfway Oregon to name a few.

If you're planning your Eastern Oregon vacation and want to know the status of the road, give the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest office a phone call at (541) 426-4978 and ask the Visitor Center. They are keepers of official word on the road.

In the meantime, please do check before planning to travel the center section of the Hells Canyon Byway. We hate it when our incoming guests have to backtrack over an hour of travel time to reach Joseph Oregon! And I'll keep my fingers crossed here at our Hells Canyon lodging that the road opens and stays open in 2011!

Updating our Wine List

Sunday, April 24, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

It's springtime in Eastern Oregon which means it's time to update the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast wine list and get ready for the summer visitors to Joseph Oregon.

We've added quite a few new wines to our cellar this past year and retired a few as our guests enjoyed them. In your guestroom now you'll find our newly prepared list, featuring wines from Sokol Blosser, Argyle and Lange Estate Vineyards to name a few from Oregon. There are also some very nice wines from L'Ecole No. 41 and Zerba Cellars in the Walla Walla, WA area. And let's not forget Yakima River Winery and Terra Blanca Vineyard west of the Tri-Cities in Washington. Rounding out the list are a collection of sparkling wines from the Alsace region of France (I just couldn't help it).

Whether you're packing a picnic wine for Wallowa Lake or ordering a fine sparkling for your romantic getaway, we've probably got a wine or two here for you.

And there are always glasses and wine openers available in all of our guestrooms in case you'd prefer to bring along your favorite.

Wineries near Joseph Oregon

Wednesday, April 6, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

You don't really think about vineyards and wineries near Wallowa Lake or Joseph Oregon. We're at 4,200 feet of elevation with a short growing season (USDA Zone 5), so there isn't much happening with grape growing up here.

But this week we hosted Tim & Lori Kennedy, owners of Don Carlo Vineyard in Milton-Freewater at our Joseph bed and breakfast. Milton-Freewater is less than two hours drive from Joseph on the way to Walla Walla, Washington. I'd always thought of Walla Walla as a big wine area, but it turns out that Milton-Freewater is becoming one too! Tim explained there are currently eleven vineyards in and around Milton-Freewater producing wines and hard cider. If this area grows like Walla Walla, undoubtedly there will be more.

Tim and Lori are sending us some maps to the wineries, fruit stands and other agritourism sites of Milton-Freewater. We look forward to giving them to our bed and breakfast guests heading north towards Walla Walla Washington. It could be that Bill & I need to plan a little getaway ourselves and replenish our bed & breakfast wine cellar!

They didn't stay at a Wallowa Lake hotel--they stayed at our little Eastern Oregon bed and breakfast--and what a treat for us. Education about more Eastern Oregon places to experience!

Mountain biking near Joseph Oregon from June to October

Thursday, March 24, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

View of the Seven Devil Mountains across Hells Canyon as seen from the East Moraine around Wallowa Lake. The terrain along the Redmont Trail Network is visible here. Mountain biking in the Wallowa Mountains!

A lot of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest is not for mountain bikes because the Eagle Cap Wilderness lies within the forest boundary. But, there still is mountain biking near Joseph Oregon and inside the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.

Trailheads used are the Salt Creek Summit (south end)--19 miles from Joseph Oregon and part of the Redmont and Wagon Road Trail networks, and the Ferguson Ridge Snow Park (north end)--only 14 miles from Joseph Oregon and part of the Redmont Trail network.

Riding season in the Wallowa Mountains is typically mid-June to end of October (depending on snow), with trail clearing using completed by early July.

Routes range from 7 to 20 or more miles and vary from multi-use trails to single-track, with terrain for beginners, intermediate and advanced riders. Some routes intersect so the beginner can reconnect with the advanced rider on the same ride.

We keep mountain biking-specific maps here at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast for guest use. Guests can store their mountain bikes in our garage (along with their road bikes, kayaks, etc.) for easy access.

When you're planning your Eastern Oregon vacation this year, think about some mountain bike rides in the Wallowa Mountains. Plenty of views of the Wallowas and the Seven Devil Mountains across Hells Canyon in Idaho--and a great bed and breakfast to return to at the end of the day!

Chief Joseph Days Rodeo 2011

Saturday, March 19, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

Even though there's snow in the Wallowa Mountains, the birds are singing and we're thinking about summer event weekends. Chief Joseph Days starts Wednesday leading into the last full weekend in July in Joseph Oregon. This year, that's July 27 through July 31, 2011. Rodeo performances are Wednesday through Saturday nights.

And, this Joseph Oregon bed and breakfast still has plenty of room available during the week, plus the Mirror Lake Suite is available for Friday/Saturday nights! If you've not yet been to a rodeo, plan your summertime Eastern Oregon vacation around this event. Chief Joseph Days Rodeo is voted one of the best outdoor small town rodeos in America.

Driving to Joseph Oregon Is Easy

Wednesday, February 23, 2011 by Heather Tyreman

We often are asked whether it is easy to drive to Joseph, Oregon. In general, driving to Northeastern Oregon is pretty straightforward. Even in winter. . .

There are three paved routes in/out of Wallowa County (where Joseph, Oregon is located), two of which are open year around:

Oregon Highway 82 (leaves Interstate 84 at LaGrande Exit 261 for a scenic drive along the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway eastwards through Union County into Wallowa County)
Oregon Highway 3 (starts as Washington Highway 129 in Clarkston, WA, then becomes OR 3 at the state line, continuing south into Wallowa County to the town of Enterprise, which it ends at OR-82)
Forest Road 39 (starts at Oregon Highway 86 between Halfway and Oxbow near the Idaho border and winds its way northwestward into Wallowa County). This road is NOT MAINTAINED in the winter! (It's normally closed from mid-November through early/mid-May or sometimes into June.) The Wallowa-Whitman Forest Service Visitor Center (tel 541-426-4978 Monday-Friday) is the offical information source for this road.

As for general driving conditions, we always refer our guests to the Oregon Department of Transportation website (also found at Tripcheck.com) for the latest conditions, especially along I-84 and OR-3.

In winter, it's always advisable to have traction tires or carry chains when you're in Eastern Oregon--and that means through the month of April!. Les Schwab Tires often provides a great service to occasional winter drivers. They will sell you a sealed box set of tire chains for your car or light truck and, if you return them unopened in the Spring, you'll get a full refund--one more reason to visit Wallowa Lake and Joseph, Oregon even during the Winter/Spring seasons.

Have we convinced you yet? If you need a little more assistance planning your Joseph Oregon vacation, call us and we'll give you a hand with your routing to Wallowa County.