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Go Wild Backcountry Trip Examples

Here are a few examples of our favorite trips. Pick one or use them as jumping off points to get excited about your next Go Wild trip.

We run tours primarily in the mountains of Northeast Oregon and the Owyhee Canyonlands of Southeast Oregon from May through October. However if you have an idea for a trip elsewhere, pitch it to us!

backpacking trips oregon

THE MEADOWS

Our secret spot in the Elkhorn Range of the Blue Mountains, the meadows offer a great introductory trip to the backcountry where you can feel like you're deep in the wild while only being 5 miles from the trailhead. You won't see a soul while you fish for wild trout and pick wild onions right at camp. Best part about the Meadows? This trip can be done hiking gradually downhill both ways. 

TRIP DETAILS

  • Type: Mule Packing / Backpacking

  • Style: Multi-day Basecamp with day hikes

  • Ideal For: Families, Fisher-people, Large Groups

  • RT Mileage: 14-24 depending on days, etc. 

  • Season: July-September

  • Highlights: Swimming in Alpine Lakes, A Fish Every Cast, Big Starry Skies, Downhill both Ways

TYPICAL ITINERARY

Pre-Trip: Meet us the evening before your trip in La Grande, OR to talk logistics and meet your guides over local beverages

Day 1: Meet your mule packer and head into the backcountry. 5 miles

Day 2-3: Hike to a nearby alpine lake, relax at camp. Choose anywhere from. 2 miles

Day 4: Hike out, arrive to trailhead late afternoon. 8 miles

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THE MINAM

Eastern Oregon's Minam River corridor allows for an uber-wild and unique trip that combines hiking and paddling. With endless combinations of trip lengths & styles, the river offers something for everyone. We hike in from the bottom of the river for a beginner-friendly packrafting trip, or fly into the luxurious Minam River Lodge for a fancy fly & float trip. Make sure to check out our group tours here or email us for a private trip.

TRIP DETAILS

  • Type: Backpacking / Multi-sport: Hike & Float, Fly & Float

  • Style: Day Trip / Overnight / Multi-day

  • Ideal For: Water lovers, fisher people, adventurers, packrafters

  • RT Mileage: from 0-20 depending on amount of paddling

  • Season: May-July 15, water levels depending

  • Highlights: Indigenous history, A mix solitude with adrenaline, wildlife, wilderness

TYPICAL ITINERARY

Pre-Trip: Meet us the evening before your trip in La Grande, OR to talk logistics and meet your guides over local beverages.

Day 1: Fly in (30 min) or hike in (8 miles) to the upper Minam River. Camp or spend the night at luxury Minam River Lodge. Paddling Practice.

Day 2-3: Paddle / hike downstream. Fish, wine & dine, swim, sun bathe. 5-10 river miles a day.

Day 4: Arrive at the take-out. 9 river miles.

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EAGLE CAP CIRCUIT

Oregon's largest wilderness area provides endless possibilities for self-supported backpacking trips of varying lengths. Come get lost! Thanks to an extensive trail network we can put together custom trips that vary in lengths and scenery given your desires. See more than 7 lakes, glacial meadows, ancient marbled seafloor, and fish, forage, and feast.

TRIP DETAILS

  • Type: Backpacking, Backpack Fishing

  • Style: Multi-day Moving Trip w/ opt. layovers

  • Ideal For: smaller groups, wilderness seekers, more experienced backpackers

  • RT Mileage: 30+

  • Season: July-October

  • Highlights: remoteness, alpine lakes, wildflowers, challenging & rewarding, scenery

TYPICAL ITINERARY

Pre-Trip: Meet us the evening before your trip in La Grande, OR to talk logistics and meet your guides over local beverages.

Day 1: Hike to camp 1, 7 miles. 1200'

Day 2: Hike to camp 2, 10 miles. 2000'

Day 3: Optional layover day, relax at the lake, fish, swim, rest.

Day 4: Hike to camp 3, 10 miles. 1500'

Day 5: Hike to trailhead, 5 miles. 500'

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THE ELKHORN CREST

This bucket-list ridge hike takes you along the entire crest of the Elkhorn Range of the Blue Mountains for absolutely amazing 360 views. Drop off the crest to camp at alpine lakes each evening and hike back to crest to start your day each morning. This trip can be done in as little as 2 nights or as many as 4 with a fun layover day.

TRIP DETAILS

  • Type: Backpacking, Backpack Fishing

  • Style: Multi-day Moving Trip w/ opt. layovers

  • Ideal For: smaller groups, wilderness seekers, more experienced backpackers, peak baggers

  • RT Mileage: 32 on a 4 day trip

  • Season: July-October, we prefer September!

  • Highlights: views, alpine lakes, wildflowers, fly fishing, starry skies

TYPICAL ITINERARY

Pre-Trip: Meet us the evening before your trip in La Grande, OR to talk logistics and meet your guides over local beverages.

Day 1: Hike to camp 1, 5 miles. 800'

Day 2: Hike to camp 2, 13 miles. 1300'.

Day 3: Hike to camp 3, 8 miles. 1400'

Day 4: Hike to trailhead, 4.5 miles. 900'

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THE OWYHEE

Often called the Grand Canyon of Oregon, the Oywhee River and Canyonlands are as rugged as they are remote and not for the faint of foot. We run two styles of trips here, 6-day fall low-water float trips in packrafts and year round car-camping style trips where we explore, hike, and float from a centralized basecamp. Epic scenery, fishing, and floating, but logistically rigorous trips.

TRIP DETAILS

  • Type: Packrafting / Car Camping

  • Style: Multi-day River or Basecamp Explorer

  • Ideal For: water lovers, desert lovers,  wilderness seekers, paddlers, hot springs lovers

  • Mileage: 67 river miles on a 6 day float trip

  • Season: Late Summer/ Fall

  • Highlights: remoteness, epic river journey, fishing, wildlife, whitewater

TYPICAL ITINERARY

Pre-Trip: Meet us the evening before your trip in Ontario, OR to talk logistics and meet your guides over local beverages.

Day 1: Drive to Put-in at Rome. Launch.

Day 2-5: Paddling, Hiking, Fishing, Swimming. We average 10 miles a day.

Day 6: Paddle to take-out at Birch Creek, arrive mid-morning to mid-afternoon.

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