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things to do in

Joseph, Oregon

Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site-Trails
Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site-Trails
Within walking distance of The Bronze Antler is this 62-acre site that offers short, scenic trails of varying difficulty. The entire trail system is less than a mile long. Enjoy views of the Wallowa Mountains and the city of Joseph as well as out to Zumwalt Prairie. Nearby is Old Chief Joseph Gravesite (National Park Service Site).
Joseph Oregon Paddle
Joseph Oregon Paddle
Wallowa County is one of a kind, offering majestic views, hidden trails, and a sense of being home. Even if you are a short-term visitor or a returning traveler who just fell in love with Wallowa County, we think you would agree; there is just something about this amazing place and the memories that it offers.
wallowa lake state park
wallowa lake state park
Nearby state park offering kayaking, paddle boating, fishing, swimming and much more. Come enjoy the land-locked salmon (kokanee) turning a vivid red in the fall. It is fun for the whole family.
eagle cap wilderness
eagle cap wilderness
This beautiful mountain attraction lies in the heart of the Wallowa Mountains of northeastern Oregon. It holds over 359,991 acres of Wilderness. People can hike , bicycle, fish, ride horses and so much more.
joseph branch railriders
joseph branch railriders
Enjoy the experience of riding on this railway, the trip takes you through Oregon's Wallowa Valley. It is a great place to enjoy the nature and peace of the ride.
hells canyon national recreation area
hells canyon national recreation area
Hells Canyon National Recreation Area holds over 652,488 acres of beauty and adventure. You will find some of the most spectacular landscapes in North America for hiking, hoseback riding, and boating. This is the deepest river-carved gorge in North America and elevations range from 1,000 feet at the Snake River up to 7,000 feet at the rim.
ferguson ridge ski area
ferguson ridge ski area
Spend your day skiing, snowboarding, or snowshoeing at Feruson Ridge Ski Area. In the warming lodge you can purchase food from the grill and warm up by the woodstove or sit outside on the deck and bask in the sunshine. The terrain is varied with six groomed runs and several miles of cross-country trails. They have a vertical drop of 640 feet, a T-bar and a rope tow. The perfect family location!
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Winter Excursions

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Winter in Wallowa County

Winter Excursions


Winter in Wallowa County is for the hardy ...mainly because of the adventure in getting here. But once you're arrived, you're in for winter sports and activities in very uncrowded conditions. Or, you might just prefer to stay tucked in at the bed and breakfast with books and hot chocolate. The pace during winter is much slower and, because Joseph is located at the eastern edge of the Pacific Time Zone, evening comes early.
Our local community-owned and volunteer-run Ferguson Ridge Ski Area features a T-bar, enthusiastic skiers, and a logo that looks like a Peace symbol from the 1960s. The Wallowa Mountains are known in the backcountry skiing community as one of the more underutilized ski areas. Although there is no official snow condition reporting, the nonprofit Wallowa Avalanche Center provides snow reports and other information pertinent to outdoor winter activities.
Conditions permitting, the outdoor Enterprise Ice Skating Rink is open for free ice skating and pick up hockey games. Rental equipment is available at local area businesses.
Snowshoeing is easy to do and many of the popular summer hiking trails are good places to snowshoe in winter.
If you bring your own snowmobile you'll find plenty of trails at the Salt Creek Summit Sno-Park. Our B&B parking area will easily accommodate snowmobile trailers.
Each January, the Eagle Cap Extreme sled dog races take place near Joseph. The event's 200-mile, 12-dog race is Oregon's only qualifier for both the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest and one of the few Iditarod qualifying events in the lower 48.


Biking & Motorcycling in

Eastern Oregon

Biking and Motorcycling


Eastern Oregon is wide open for cycling—both bicycling and motorcycling. Most of the roads out here are not heavily travelled and some are rather twisty.
You'd think with the Wallowa Mountains nearby that there would be plenty of mountain biking opportunities, but mountain bikes are allowed in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest provided they are outside of the Eagle Cap Wilderness boundary. The Redmont Trail Network (Trail 1823) east of Joseph provides a mix of single track and multi-use roads. Riding season is typically mid-June through the end of October and trail clearing is usually completed by early July. The best place we've found for information specifically about MTB riding in the area is through the LaGrande Ride bike shop website. Search for MTB rides in Joseph.
There are a variety of road bicycle routes near Joseph including the newly restructured Hurricane Creek Road that links the towns of Joseph and Enterprise. Road bikes have options for at least 8 rides in the Wallowa Valley and the challenging multi-day Wallowa Mountain Loop Classic. The best overall compendium for street and mountain bike trails in Wallowa County is found at the Ride Oregon website. Search for "Wallowa" for a complete list and maps.
Here at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast we keep a limited supply of both road bike and mountain bike maps for the local area.
In September, the annual Wallowa Lake State Park Triathlon challenges participants with a 20 km ride from the head of Wallowa Lake to Joseph in addition to a chilly 500 meter swim in Wallowa Lake and a 5 km run.  
Cycle Oregon and the Oregon Bike Ride often plan their annual routes to come through Joseph and Wallowa County. Their websites include specific rides with elevation maps for our area. For 2015, Cycle Oregon's Hell on Wheels ride will arrive at the Wallowa Lake State Park on Day Four, the "Highway to Hell" day.

Guests often choose to store their biking gear in our dry, locked garage.
If you like the thought of recumbent bicycling combined with a scenic ride through the back accesses of Wallowa County, consider a ride with the Joseph Branch Railriders. From Friday through Monday, Memorial Day through October, this company provides unique pedal-powered rail vehicles for riding side-by-side along the rail line connecting Joseph and Enterprise. New for 2015, guests may take railrider vehicles on a self-guided 26-mile round trip (up to 7 hours) adventure from Minam Town to Wallowa. The Oregon Field Guide, one of Oregon Public Broadcasting's weekly shows, recently covered the Joseph Branch Railriders. Please enjoy the link to that episode.


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Bike sculpture

Just like bicycling, the routes through Wallowa County are wide open for motorcycles. The route north to Washington on Oregon Highway 3 is a twisty roads delight.
 
The Hells Canyon Scenic Byway (Wallowa Mountain Loop Road) is another favorite for motorcycles. The Hells Canyon Overlook is about one hour out along the way and makes a nice turn around destination for coming back to Joseph. (Please note there is road construction along this route in 2015. Read our blog post for links to the latest information.)
For those with off-road motorcycles, a trip up to Hat Point on the rim of Hells Canyon can be a thrilling ride. This route is not recommended for road bikes because of the 26 miles off-road once leaving Imnaha.
Motorcycling events in the area include the Enterprise-based Wallowa County Thunder Run (new in 2014), the Joseph-based Bronze Bike Rally and the Baker City-based Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally.
Guests arriving by motorcycle may choose to park on our concrete pad or in the gravel parking area.