Hurricane Creek Hike – Wallowa Mountains
Hike beside Hurricane Creek in the Wallowas for epic views of Sacajawea Peak, wildflower-filled meadows, and the dramatic Slick Rock Gorge.
distance: 6.5 miles (round trip)
elevation gain: 750 ft.
difficulty: easy
drive time from Portland: 6.5 hours
parking pass: NW Forest Pass
The Wallowas are primarily a backpacking destination, with most of the trails covering some distance before opening to views of this spectacular mountain range. But with easy access from the towns of Enterprise and Joseph, the Hurricane Creek trail offers options for both backpacking and day hiking. It stretches for 10.1 miles from the trailhead (5,026’) to the Lakes Basin (7,600’), but it also makes for a good out-and-back day hike to Slick Rock Gorge, which is just over 3 miles in.
The high walls of Hurwal Divide to the east and Hurricane Divide to the west tower 4,000’ above the valley floor of Hurricane Creek. A short distance from the trailhead, a side trail leads for 0.2 miles to a viewpoint of Fall Creek Falls (60 ft.). Back on the main trail, cross over Fall Creek and keep following Hurricane Creek.
The highest summit in the Wallowas, Sacajawea Peak (9,838’) dominates the horizon for much of the hike. High ridges connect Sacajawea Peak to white marble-faced Matterhorn, the next highest mountain in the Wallowas.
Hurricane Creek and Divide were originally named by settlers for what they thought were hurricane force winds that severed trees in this area, the trees were instead cut off by avalanches roaring down the steep mountain ridges. Approximately 0.75 miles in is a large section of cut off trees caused by these avalanches.
The trail alternates between sections of forest with lodgepole pine, Douglas fir and juniper, to meadows filled with wildflowers in July, including Mariposa lilies, purple penstemon and asters, red paintbrush and yellow cinquefoil.
Before reaching Slick Rock Gorge, the trail heads away from the creek, switchbacking up the hillside before emerging next to the narrow rocky gorge with the creek chuting through, creating several small waterfalls along the way. At the top of this gorge, Slick Rock Creek cascades down the rocky sides of a high ridge.
Cross the creek and continue for a short distance for good views of Hurricane Creek and the Slick Rock Gorge.
