This Wild and Scenic River flows through the Eagle Cap Wilderness. The put-in is at Reds Wallowa Horse Ranch. The take-out is located where the Minam joins the Wallowa River at Highway 82 mile 33.5 on the downstream river left side of the bridge across the Wallowa River.
There are no roads to the put-in but it can be accessed by hiking, or flying into the airstrip which services the Minam Lodge. To hike in, start at the Moss Springs Trailhead and follow signs to Red Horse Ranch. It is a 7.5 mile hike that descends 2400 feet. A self-issue permit is available at the trailhead.
'The lower section maintains the continuous character of the Upper, but at a class II grade. The first 10 miles are busy, consistent class II that ramps up II+ in a few places with mid-stream boulders necessitating a few maneuvers. I think its worth emphasizing that not all class II is equal. The continuous nature is best suited for developing paddlers with good boat control and self rescue skills. There are lots of midstream eddies and surf waves that make this section quite playful. Wood is still the primary hazard on the Lower, but the wider river bed seems to minimize the number of river-wide strainer that can accumulate (we did just two portages around trees in the summer of 2023). This section seems like a great hike and river combo for competent packrafters to introduce their beginner friends to the sport.' -
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