Green Gate, as locals call it, can be found by driving south around Wallowa Lake on the Wallowa Lake Highway. About 3/4 of the way down the length of the lake you will see a large pullout on the left, a gate, and signage. If you start seeing buildings, you have gone too far. This is a 3ish mile hike up and back along an old road cut. It is pretty steep, so be prepared to get some cardio in. It's worth it for the views!

You can also access the the moraine from the back side, where another trailhead was recently put in place. There are many trails on the back side and no signage but if you move generally uphill, you will eventually come to some incredible views of the lake and Chief Joseph Mountain. To access this trailhead, plug "Turner Lane Joseph Oregon" into Google Maps and drive to the west end of the road. You will see a large gravel parking lot on your left, this is the trailhead. There is also some decent mountain biking to be accessed from this same trailhead (see below).

Hiking to Slick Rock is our go-to backyard hike. It is a three mile hike (6 total) to a set of small waterfalls cascading down the granite of the Wallowa Mountains. The hike is flat for the majority of the way with only a couple of short climbs. Slick Rock is great but the real draw of this hike are the incredible views along the way. Even if you only went for a mile or two it's absolutely worth it. Note: There is a small creek crossing near the beginning of the hike. Depending on water levels, a log crossing, stepping stones, or a small hop may be necessary to proceed.

The Homeland Project is a property on the edge fo the town of Wallowa this is managed for public access and use by various PNW tribes for their annual Tamkaliks celebration and pow-wow. The property has walking paths on the flat plain between the Wallowa River and Tick Hill as well as hiking trails that climb up and loop through Tick Hill, which overlooks the town of Wallowa. Though not as striking in scenery as some of the hikes on the south end of the valley, the property is beautiful and is situated just a few minutes from the wedding venue at Natalie's parents' property.

The Tram is a great way to access the Wallowa Mountains without putting in a full day of hiking. The ride up is fun (or harrowing, depending on your comfort with heights) and the views at the top are unparalleled. There is a small network of hiking trails at the top as well as a cafe and outdoor patio.

To access the public beach at Wallowa Lake, drive south out of Joseph on the Wallowa Lake Highway. You can't miss the big parking lot for the beach on the right barely a mile out of town. While the lake is likely to be busy over the 4th of July weekend, it's a great place to take a swim, read a book, and take in the beauty of the Wallowas.

Jo Paddle offers rentals of glass bottomed kayaks to explore Wallowa Lake with.

You've probably heard of Terminal Gravity.... The brewery and pub that Natalie has spent the last 6 years running is the definitive place to grab a bite to eat and drink a beer in the Wallowa Valley. A trip to the county isn't complete without a stop there. Being 4th of July weekend, the pub is likely to pretty busy all day, every day so be prepared for this visit to take some time. Luckily, the shady lawn in front of the pub is one the best places to spend a summer afternoon.

M. Crow is a great place to grab some pizza and good beer (not as good as TG of course) in Lostine just a few minutes from the wedding venue. Originally a general store that Patrick would ride his bike to as a kid, M. Crow was purchased a few years back and transformed into a space that is part art exhibit, part general store, and part pizza place. They recently started making their own beer as well (after many phone calls to Natalie for advice) and it's not bad! Try to sit outside if possible, their shady patio is a great place to spend some time on a hot afternoon.

If TG is crazy busy or you're more in the mood for a cocktail, the Range Rider is a great watering-hole located in Enterprise.

The back side of the Wallowa Lake East Moraine has some fun albeit rustic biking opportunities. There are few developed trails but a plethora of old roads and cow trails (some which have been improved by local trail gnomes). To get to the trailhead, plug "Turner Lane Joseph Oregon" into Google Maps and drive to the west end of the road. You'll see the large gravel parking lot for the trailhead on your left. If you're feeling casual, there are numerous roads and cow trails to explore throughout the East Moraine property, go forth and have fun. If you're feeling like getting a workout in and riding some better singletrack, climb to the top of "the downhill trail" and enjoy some primitively constructed but fun steep dirt. Here is a Strava link to help guide you: https://strava.app.link/jvLKpOUNEHb

Happy pedaling and don't forget to take a dip in the lake afterwards!

If you would like to do a ride closer to the wedding, you can ride the hiking trails on Tick Hill in the town of Wallowa. The Singletrack can be accessed via the north end of the Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland Project property. Ride the gravel road along the base of the cliffs until you find an uptrail. You can ride these trails as a loop or an out and back. These are hiking trails so be ready for tight corners and loose gravel as well as foot traffic.

The Lower Lostine is a great quick kayak lap for those who are confident class IV creek boaters. To get to the takeout, drive south out of Lostine on Lostine River Road for about 6 miles. The takeout is a green single lane bridge that crosses the river. From the takeout drive 1.5 miles upriver to the Pole Bridge Picnic Area, this is your put in. This short section starts with some manky class III before coming into "The Ramp" a broken bedrock slide where the river constricts. After The Ramp the whitewater picks up as you navigate a 1/3 mile long steep boulder garden. After the boulder garden ends, the difficulty eases somewhat with continuous III+/IV- whitewater all the way to the take out. Check the Lostine River nr Lostine gauge for flows, 300 cfs is low, 1000 cfs is high.

The Lostine is the premier kayak run in the Wallowas featuring steep boulder gardens in a gorgeous canyon. To get to the takeout head south out of the town of Lostine on Lostine River Road for approximately 7.5 miles to the Pole Bridge Picnic Area. From the take out continue heading up river, the best put-in can be be tricky to find; it is the first pull out on the right side of the road after you pass the National Forest Forest Camp campground. If you hit Williamson Campground you have gone too far. Hike down to the river and put on this stout but incredibly fun section of river. The Lostine is challenging with an ever changing wood situation; if you have not run it before, treat it like a first descent. There is more info on the Lostine on American Whitewater and in the Paddling PNW Whitewater Guidebook.