A Trip to Hells Canyon
March 18, 2008
By Kari Whitacre
We woke up to the first beautiful, warm Sunday of the season. The sun was bright, the birds were singing, and the sweet smell of Baker County spring was in the air. It was the perfect day for a long, lazy drive. After grabbing a latte from Sorbenots and fueling up the car we decided to head east towards Hells Canyon.
The drive was easy and the scenery was breathtaking. Eagles and hawks were flying overhead and the geese were returning to build nests along the banks of the Powder River. Our drive took us past the quaint towns of Richland, Halfway, and Oxbow. We traveled through the majestic rock canyons of the deepest river gorge in North America, to the visitors overlook at the base of the damn.
Each time I visit Hells Canyon, I stand in awe of the raw beauty and stunning vistas of the landscape. Taking in the splendor, we strolled down a rustic trail to the waters edge to gaze at the depth of the Snake River. Sitting down to breath in the beauty of the water, we noticed movement on the canyon wall. Directly across from where we were sitting and up on the ledge of the sharp rock canyon slept a milk-white mountain goat. The lone goat was basking in the sun and we sat watching for a long time. Touched by the magic of Hells Canyon on this glorious spring day our drive home was slow, warm, and wonderful. It felt good to be out in nature after the long, cold winter.
For more information on visiting Eastern Oregon, please visit our Explore Oregon section. And don't forget to check out Kari's previous blog on Barley Brown's Brew Pub.
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