Oregon's largest wilderness area, set among the granite peaks and alpine lakes of the Wallowa Mountains.
Eagle Cap Wilderness
Eagle Cap Wilderness is a protected wilderness area in northeastern Oregon, situated within the Wallowa Mountains of the Wallowa Whitman National Forest. Established in 1940 and incorporated into the National Wilderness Preservation System in 1964, it is by far Oregon's largest wilderness area, spanning a vast landscape of granite peaks, glacial valleys, alpine meadows, and forested lower slopes.
The wilderness is defined by its sharp elevation range, climbing from roughly 3,000 feet in the lower valleys to over 9,800 feet at the summit of Sacajawea Peak, with more than thirty summits rising above 8,000 feet. Its terrain includes high U shaped glacial valleys, dozens of named alpine lakes, and the headwaters of four designated Wild and Scenic Rivers, making it both a significant ecological anchor and a major destination for backcountry recreation.
Eagle Cap is notable for combining rugged mountain scenery with deep cultural history. The Wallowa country has long been associated with the Nez Perce and other Indigenous peoples, and the wilderness today supports a rich mix of large mammals, raptors, and fish, including recolonizing wolf packs. Its blend of accessible trailheads and remote alpine terrain gives it a strong identity as one of the Pacific Northwest's defining high country wildernesses.
