Things to do nearHells Canyon National Recreation Area

Hells Canyon National Recreation Area was established by Congress in 1975 to protect a stretch of the Snake River and surrounding wilderness that straddles the Oregon and Idaho border. The canyon itself is the deepest river gorge in North America, surpassing even the Grand Canyon in vertical relief when measured from the summit of He Devil peak in the Seven Devils range down to the Snake River below. The area encompasses roughly 650,000 acres of designated wilderness, ponderosa pine forest, and open grassland that transitions dramatically with elevation.

Visitors can explore the canyon by river, trail, or unpaved forest road, with Hat Point Overlook on the Oregon side offering one of the most accessible and verifiable panoramas of the full canyon depth. The Snake River corridor itself is a designated Wild and Scenic River, and whitewater rafting through its Class IV rapids draws paddlers from across the country each season. Hikers on the canyon rim trails move through high desert terrain dotted with wildflowers in spring and golden grasses in autumn, while the lower elevation trails follow the river through a warmer, more arid environment.

Deer, black bears, chukar partridge, and nesting raptors are regularly observed throughout the recreation area. The nearby town of Riggins, Idaho, serves as a practical base for river outfitters and overnight stays, though the Oregon access points offer a quieter approach to the canyon. Few landscapes in the American West combine geological drama, ecological diversity, and genuine remoteness quite like this one.