In the Open — The National Forests of Washington Fifty 



WENAHA NATIONAL FOREST 



THE Wenaha National Forest occupies the most northerly spur of the Blue 

 Mountains, which forms the divide between Grande Ronde River on the 

 east and Walla Walla, Touchet, and Umatilla Rivers on the west. The 

 main divide ruiis in a northeasterly and southwesterly direction, and can be 

 traveled on horseback for its entire length, approximately 130 miles. Camping 

 places, where good water and horse feed can be found, are numerous. 



The elevations vary from 4,500 feet to 6,500 feet. The higher peaks are not 

 abrupt, but mound-shaped and with more or less of a plateau on top. The highest 

 of these is Oregon Buttes, 6,500 feet, with Mount Misery, 50 feet lower, a close 

 second, and Mount Emily, 6,130 feet, third. The larger portion of the Forest is 

 but lightly timbered. The south and east slopes are invariably open and covered 

 with good stands of bunchgrass. The country is rather rugged, the ridges steep, 

 and the canyons deep and narrow. 



The gently-rolling cultivated hills surrounding the Forest form one of the 

 best grain-growing sections of the Northwest. These grain fields, with their check- 

 erboard effect, are a pleasing sight when viewed from the higher elevations of the 

 main divide. 



The Forest is traversed by 140 miles of road passable by automobiles and 568 

 miles of primary and secondary trails, which make every part of the Forest acces- 

 sible for horseback trips. 



Mule deer, black bear, brown bear, cats, coyotes, blue grouse, and pheasants 

 are plentiful. Fishing is good in the numerous streams. Hunting and fishing are 

 prohibited in approximately two townships of the northern portion of the Forest, 

 which have been set as^de as a county game preserve. Mule deer, elk, blue grouse, 

 and pheasants are plentiful in this preserve. The deer and grouse scatter over 

 the surrounding country, consequently good hunting can be had there during the 

 open season. A herd of approximately 240 elk ranges in this vicinity. Protected 

 by the law at all times, they are very tame. It is not uncommon to meet from 10 

 to 50 of them, and camera hunters are often able to secure pictures of bands of 

 these splendid animals. 



The Forest is accessible from the following railroad points on the Oregon- 

 Washington Railway & Navigation Co.'s line: x^sotin, Clarkston, Dayton, Pome- 



