Pacific Northwest Trip: Wallowa Winter Wonderland

*This is a self-catered tour. Lodging (book ahead), all meals, transportation, and park entrance fees are your responsibility. We will overnight in Enterprise for three nights.

Explore the winter wonderland of Wallowa County on this self-driving trip!

On the first day, we will be driving to Enterprise, making stops along the Columbia and at Ladd Marsh in the afternoon. You never know what you will find at Riverfront Park in The Dalles, Deschutes River Park, and in Boardman, but our stops will be selected by looking at what has been seen. 

While in the Wallowas, we will search the county roads and towns looking for specialties such as Bohemian Waxwing, Gray Partridge, Snow Bunting, Gray-crowned Rosy-finch, and Common Redpoll. None of these are guaranteed, as they are all somewhat irruptive. Gyrfalcon is not seen every year, yet if they are present, they may be seen in the Wallowas easier than in other areas like the Okanogan.

We will spend several hours searching forested areas, including McCully Creek where Pine Grosbeak is possible. We will attempt to get up to the area where Spruce Grouse live, but this will depend on the weather and our fitness. This is about a 2.5 hour hike round-trip in the snow with moderate elevation gain. 

Other places we will visit include Golf Course Road/Leap Lane for American Tree Sparrow, Wallowa Lake for American Dipper and Northern Pygmy-Owl, the Enterprise Fish Hatchery, and the Lostine River bottom.

On the final day, we will work our way back from the Wallowas to Portland, again making stops wherever the birding is good. This could involve a slight detour to bird Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge or McNary Wildlife Area which are always superb in winter. Back in Portland no later than 6:30 p.m.

Driving the mostly snow-covered roads while you are there is not typically a problem, but getting over the Blue Mountains on I-84 can be tricky. Lunches will be mainly consumed while driving, but we will return to the hotel when it gets dark, and there will be lots of downtime to relax. 

*This is a self-catering trip, and participants will provide their own accommodations as well as meals. Your trip leader will send recommended accommodations as well as meeting details to all participants.

Closer to the trip date, Stefan will email recommended accommodations as well as meeting details to all participants.