Hells Canyon

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Downstream view of the Snake River and Hells Canyon from a point just a few miles south of the Hells Canyon Dam.

Hells Canyon National Recreation Area is located at the northern tip of the Oregon-Idaho border. Comprising more than 600,000 acres of rugged, pristine wilderness and located in one of the most remote sections of the contiguous 48 states, it is a landscape that all but defies comparison. It is home to the deepest river chasm on the continent and three of North America's Wild and Scenic rivers. It is characterized by some of the hottest summer temperatures and most forbidding winters in the Northwest. Even today, more than 100 years after the Nez Perce tribes were driven from the area in support of European settlement, the lands surrounding the NRA remain sparsely populated and roads remain in some places, little better than the wagon trails that were forged a century ago.

Straddling the Oregon-Idaho perimeter is the actual Hells Canyon, approximately 120 miles of basalt, limestone and granite canyon walls that have been scored by thousands of years of coursing water. In some places, the rock face towers as high as a mile above the Snake River, creating a chasm that would dwarf the highest rim of the Grand Canyon. Considered the largest tributary to the mighty Columbia River, the Snake is known throughout the world not only for its beauty and size, but its ideal river-rafting opportunities.

The Hells Canyon National Recreation Area offers spectacular opportunities for the adventurer who enjoys taking wilderness on its own terms. Visitors should be aware that there are limited roads in the NRA. Boaters should confirm their intended embarking/disembarking points before launching, as motor vehicles are permitted only in designated areas.

Hells Canyon Visitor Association. 800 Port Drive, Clarkston, WA 99403. Phone: 509-758-7489; Toll-free: 1-877-774-7248.

Hells Canyon Shuttle, Inc. Located at: Scotty's Hells Canyon Outdoor Supply, PO Box 149, Oxbow, OR 97840. Toll-free: 1-800-785-3358. E-mail

Related Web Sites

On the Snake River in Hells Canyon
02:50 PM PST on Friday, January 28, 2005
"Northwest Backroads", KING5.com

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Snake River of Hells Canyon Snake River of Hells Canyon by Johnny Carrey, John Carrey and Cort Conley. Organized by miles headed downriver from Hells Canyon dam, this is a colorful chronicle of canyon history. A must read for anyone visiting Hells Canyon, whether by boat, on horseback or a foot. Order now...

Hiking Hells Canyon & Idaho's Seven Devils Mountains Hiking Hells Canyon & Idaho's Seven Devils Mountains (Regional Hiking Series) by Fred Barstad. Use this guide for up-to-date trail information, accurate directions to popular as well as less-traveled trails, difficulty ratings for each hike, detailed trail maps, and zero-impact camping tips. Order now...

Island and Rapids Island and Rapids: A Geological Story of Hells Canyon by Tracy Vallier. This book, written by a world-class scientist tells the geologic history of the deepest gorge in North America. Also included is a mile by mile guide to the Canyon's features as well as photographs. Order now...

Up River: Reflections of Hells Canyon Up River: Reflections of Hells Canyon by Betsy McGreer. Journey into Hells Canyon with poet/photographer Betsy McGreer. Enjoy the four seasons-night & day-as never before. Their healing powers will touch your heart and soul as Betsy's words and images display Nature's strength and tranquility at Stoney Point Lodge, along the Snake River in Idaho.
Includes over 50 full-color photographs of wonder and awe. Order now...

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What to see and what to do in Hells Canyon

Hells Canyon

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What to see and
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Hells Canyon