Established in the late 1800s during a wave of homesteading in the Wallowa Valley, the area attracted pioneers who were drawn to its fertile soil and abundant water from the Lostine River. These natural resources made it an ideal location for farming, with early settlers cultivating grains, vegetables, and hay to sustain themselves and their growing community. Livestock farming, particularly cattle and sheep ranching, also became a cornerstone of the local economy, with the vast open rangelands surrounding the town supporting the industry.

The portion of Zumwalt Prairie that this ride takes you through is now used for growing wheat and as grazing range for beef cattle in the spring, summer, and fall. Despite centuries of human use, the Zumwalt Prairie continues to provide a home for nearly all the plant and animal species that have survived here for millennia. It also supports the largest known population of Spalding’s catchfly.

Just downstream from where you cross the Wallowa River, a section of the river’s floodplain was transformed into a thriving ecosystem in the summer of 2022 via a collaborative project between the Wilson-Haun family and Trout Unlimited.

Through intensive efforts, crews dug side channels, placed 500 logs, built 50+ beaver dam analogs, and planted thousands of native trees and plants. This work restored the river’s natural flow, slowing water, replenishing groundwater, and creating essential habitats for salmon, steelhead, lamprey, and other wildlife.

The project’s impact is profound (watch this video). The reconnected floodplain now supports spawning Chinook salmon, increased bird populations, amphibians, dragonflies, and even mammals like bobcats and bears. Game cameras have even recorded a beaver, signaling nature’s return to self-sustaining cycles. Listen to our podcast on the importance of beavers with Maureen Thompson, the Manager of the Beaver Works program at Think Wild.

Along the route you will see some mature, gnarly, weathered apple trees. In later summer they are populated with smallish red apples. These trees are usually indicative of homesteads from the late 1800s early 1900s.

The Wallowa Mountains, often referred to as the “Alps of Oregon,” have the most complicated and longest geological history of any range in Oregon. A unique combination of granite and limestone, so vastly different than that of the Central Oregon Cascades.

Learn how to “untangle what you see” in this podcast with geologist Dr. Kim Ely.

Serving the Wallowa Valley since 1906, the M. Crow General Store was established as a hub for rural commerce. In 2013, it was revived by artist and designer Tyler Hays, who transformed it into a blend of local tradition and modern craftsmanship. It sells locally sourced products, handmade crafts, and Hays’ own designs, ranging from ceramics to custom furniture. Local folklore has it that a gold miner once used the store as a secret drop-off point for nuggets smuggled out of the nearby Wallowa Mountains.