Baker County Living
Outdoor Recreation
In sun, in snow, in all kinds of weather HIKING
Baker Valley lies between two major mountain ranges — the Elkhorns close by to the west, the Wallowas a bit farther away to the northeast. Both have a network of Forest Service trails open to hikers and horseback riders.
■■ Wallowa-Whitman National Forest
1550 Dewey Ave. and 3285 11th St., Baker City 541-523-6391 www.fs.fed.us/r6/w-w/
Our mountains We have two mountain ranges offering miles and miles of trails. The Elkhorn trails are generally shorter and steeper than the Eagle Cap trails, which meander up mountains using switchbacks. The Eagle Cap area also attracts more horseback riders than the Elkhorns.
WATER SPORTS Baker County has quite a few waterways, with the most popular for boaters being Phillips Reservoir, 20 miles south of Baker City on Highway 7 toward Sumpter, and Brownlee Reservoir on the Snake River on the county's eastern edge. SKIING
Photo by Lisa Britton
When winter coats the high country with a blanket of snow, it’s time to pull those skis, snowboards and snowshoes out of storage. Baker County’s main winter attraction is Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort, located about 20 miles west of Haines.
■■ www.anthonylakes.com, 541-856-3277 SNOWMOBILING
As for snowmobiling, clubs in the Sumpter, Halfway and Burnt River areas maintain miles and miles of trails all winter.
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www.bakercityherald.com
Sometimes the hiking season and snow season meet up in the fall — this is part of the Elkhorn CrestTrail, seen after an October snowfall.
Like to camp? Both mountain ranges are conducive to backpacking into highmountain lakes. For state parks, check the website www.oregonstateparks.org.