Explore the Blue mountains trail
Are you ready to explore the landscapes of northeast Oregon, but can't manage a month-long thru hike? Read our visitor recommendations starting from destination communities along the Blue Mountains Trail.
Joseph
Joseph is a small mountain town nestled at the northern end of Wallowa Lake. It is a full-service town with a small grocery, laundromat, restaurants, and lodging. It is compact and all services are easily walkable. It also has a vibrant arts community.
Joseph is a popular tourist destination. Accommodations can be scarce and expensive during the summer months, through Labor Day. Enterprise, which is 6 miles down Highway 82, is also a full-service town and another option to consider visiting.
Elevation: 4,150 feet
Population: 1,054
Getting there from the trail: The Wallowa Lake Trailhead, the northern terminus of the Blue Mountains Trail, is approximately 7 miles from Joseph via OR-351.
Troy
Troy is a very small unincorporated community located at the confluence of the Grande Ronde and Wenaha Rivers. Troy has few services with limited hours. We recommend that thru-hikers mail resupply boxes to the Troy Lodge.
Elevation: 1,620 feet
Population: 25
Getting there from the trail: The trail goes right through town.
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La Grande
La Grande marks what we consider the midway point of the Blue Mountains Trail. It is a full-service city with an excellent outfitter, numerous restaurants and lodging options, and nearly any other service for visitors.
Elevation: 2,785 feet
Population: 13,610
Getting there from the trail: The trail passes through the center of La Grande.
Baker City
Baker City is a full-service city that is not on the trail but can serve as a starting/ending point for section hikes on the Elkhorn Crest. It can also be reached via transit or the Elkhorn Taxi from Sumpter.
Elevation: 3,450 feet
Population: 9,800
Getting there from the trail: Baker City is 29 miles from Sumpter, 35 miles from Anthony Lakes, and 45 miles from La Grande.
John Day
Downtown John Day is the southern terminus of the Blue Mountains Trail. The town is just north of the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness, at the intersection of Highways 26 and 395.
John Day is a full-service town with a wide variety of restaurants and lodging options.
Elevation: 3,087 feet
Population: 2,250
Getting there from the trail: The southern terminus of the Blue Mountains Trail is the 1188 Brewery located at 141 E Main St, John Day, OR, in the center of town.
Detailed Route Maps
We have compiled detailed hiker maps using Caltopo for the full 530-mile route, as well as additional miles on alternate trails. These maps are meant to be used with an accompanying Databook that indicates trail conditions and known water availability for each waypoint. Examples of these maps are provided below.
To obtain a copy of the Caltopo maps and Databook, please contact Pip Redding at pip@hellscanyon.org.
