With a name like Hells Canyon it’s hard to believe anything good can come from a trip there. But, don’t let the name fool you. If you are narrowing down your choices for a family-friendly spring break travel destination don’t rule out Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.
The park encompasses more than 652,000 acres, which hug the borders of northeastern Oregon and western Idaho. The vast stretches of natural beauty can be explored on foot, on horseback, or by boat. The latter being one of the most popular—after all, Hells Canyon is home to the famous Snake River. The waterway sits at the bottom of the deepest canyon in North America (deeper than the Grand Canyon—it measures 8,000 feet from Devil Peak down to the river) and stretches for 71-scenic miles.
Rafting and power boating are the most popular ways to navigate the mighty Snake River, though the area is not recommended territory for the inexperienced. My advice-—stick with the professionals. There are several Jet Boat tour operators in the area that offer packages at fairly reasonable rates.
You can forgo Snake River and still have an amazing time exploring Hells Canyon on foot. The recreation area has 925 miles of trails, which are havens for hikers, horseback riders, mountain bikers, bird watchers and photographers. If you decide to hike the trails it is recommended that you start off in the valley at 700 feet above sea level and end up at a turn-around point at 1,450 feet above sea level.
While you’re hiking keep a lookout for ancient Indian writings that date back nearly 7,200 years. Wardens will tell you that no one in any existing Indian tribes can decipher the writing (most of which is petroglyphs). In addition, high on the Oregon skyline on the rocky ridge, sits a rock formation resembling Mr. Potato Head playing the piano. If that doesn’t grab you, perhaps the area’s four-legged residents will. Don’t be surprised to see mule deer or great blue harems along the river. And, for those of you traveling with cameras—there’s almost always a few Rocky Mountain big horn sheep standing along the water with their young. Not a bad Kodak moment.
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