Scenic motorcycle routes: The Wallowa Mountains to Hells Canyon

The Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is a 218-mile loop that cuts through the Wallowa Mountains on Forest Service 39 and connects Baker County to Wallowa County. The route offers spectacular views of the Wallowa Mountains and of Hells Canyon.

The FS 39 road washed out in places last year and repairs were completed last fall.

Bikers should set aside enough time to explore the many hundreds of miles of side roads and to visit the friendly little towns along the way.

There are two major summertime motorcycle rallies along the byway with the Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally June 10- 13 in Baker City and the Bronze Bike Motorcycle Rendezvous in Joseph Aug. 19-21.

Other highway routes into Wallowa County that make for an excellent motorcycle ride include Highway 82 from the west and Highway 3 from the north.

Highway 82 runs between La Grande and Enterprise for about 65 miles. The road travels through the towns of Island City, Imbler and Elgin in Union County and Wallowa and Lostine in Wallowa County. After leaving the farmlands in the Grande Ronde Valley, Highway 82 winds through a river canyon and into the agricultural lands of Wallowa County.

Bikers traveling into the county from the north might make a detour from Highway 3 to the west to visit the pioneer towns of Flora and Troy. Not far from the Flora-Troy turnoff, bikers will want to pull off Highway 3 at the Joseph Canyon Overlook to enjoy the scenic expanse below.

Motorcyclists traveling the mountain highways of northeast Oregon are advised to be ready for any type of weather and should be cautious during spring and early summer because of loose gravel on the corners.