Eagle Cap Ranger District

88401 Hwy. 82
Box A
Enterprise, Oregon 97828
(541) 426-5546

Resource Information:

Total Unit Acres: 387,915
Total Wilderness Acres: 354,692 (Eagle Cap)
Total Backcountry Acres: 9,276
# of Developed Campgrounds: 5
# of Other Developed Sites: 2 Picnic Sites
# of Developed Trailheads: 10
# of Snoparks: None
Miles of Trails: 532
Miles of Winter Trails: None
Approximate # of Dispersed Sites: 50 + 968
Wild and Scenic Rivers: Lostine, Eagle Creek, Imnaha, Minam

The Matterhorn, 9,845'

All campground facilities are non-fee and rustic. Campgrounds are located in the Lostine River corridor, and in the Bear Creek and Hurricane Creek drainages. These campgrounds provide opportunities for visitors to the Wallowa-Enterprise-Joseph area, as well as those who are visiting the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

The campgrounds on Eagle Cap District typically fill up on summer weekends with adjacent dispersed camping areas also full. Recent increases in tourism in Wallowa County have perpetuated this condition.

Accessibility surveys were completed on all campgrounds and picnic areas in 1993. None of the campgrounds or picnic areas on the District have any accessible features.

Approximately 50% of the trailheads are located on adjacent Districts. The majority of the users at the trailheads are going into the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

Eagle Cap District maintains trails primarily within wilderness for recreation pack and saddle stock and foot travel. No designated ski, snowmobile, or mountain bike trails exist.

The major focus of recreation on Eagle Cap District is wilderness use. This use seems to be remaining constant or slightly declining but shifting to more day use and less overnight use. Crowded conditions can still occur in some popular destination areas and along some day use trails on summer peak use days. Eleven outfitters serve the summer and fall visitors with backpacks, llamas, horses, and mules. Nearly 70% of the wilderness use originates from outside the three local counties.

Winter use of Eagle Cap District is also increasing. Much of the District is off limits or unsuitable for snowmobiling but some non-wilderness use does occur when conditions are right. Cross-country skiing is popular on some trails where road access is available. Steep terrain and frequent avalanche conditions preclude using much of the District. Two winter outfitters operate hut systems under permit. Both outfitters report strong and increasing bookings by visitors.

Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

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Eagle Cap Ranger District