A Traveler's Experience

Hells Canyon Scenic Byway (OR)

Wallowa County, Oregon, is well worth exploring. Hells Canyon is not the sharp, rugged precipices of the Grand Canyon, but round eroded heights vegetated in gold and green. Viewing the Snake River from the rim is a horizontal sweep of the eyes rather than a precipitous look down. Stark and striking in its own right. Just as interesting are the rural landscapes along the route. The little town of Joseph is an interesting stop. It's a tourist town, but it has its own intrinsic interest apart from that. Our visit was curtailed because we had to rush back to NC to batten down the hatches against Hurricane Isabel, but we'd like to return.