The Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is a thriving this Memorial Day Weekend. Check out the following activities, then go to the Wallowa County, Union County and Baker County websites for even more happenings. Have a safe, fun and meaningful Memorial holiday weekend.

Saturday, May 27th
Eagle Cap Excursion Train / Two River Bonus, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm, Elgin Depot
Following the Grande Ronde and Wallowa Rivers as they tumble their courses and join together at Rondowa, this longer ride takes you to Minam, before returning to Elgin. The ride offers beautiful views that can’t be seen from the highways. The scenery is fantastic! Lunch is included. Departs from Elgin Depot at 10 a.m. and returns at about 3:30 p.m.

La Grande Farmers’ Market, Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon, and Tuesdays, 3:30 to 6 p.m.; Adams Ave. & Fourth St., Downtown La Grande
The La Grande Farmers’ Market is a seasonal open-air market featuring fresh local produce, baked goods, specialty foods, quality meat, eggs, garden products, arts, crafts, and live music. Enjoy shopping locally while interacting with farmers, artists, musicians, craftsman and friends. Also visit many of the market suppliers along the Cove-Union Farm Loop.

Wallowa County Farmers Market Opening Day, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m,, Joseph St. and Main St., Joseph
Spring Planting Fest/Opening Day for the Wallowa County Farmers’ Market!! Live music, plant starts, produce, handmade crafts, homemade baked goods and more!!

Lower Valley Farmers’ Market, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m,, 301 E. 1st St., Wallowa
Year-round indoor farmers market. Our mission is to increase our community’s access to fresh, local products from local producers and to offer a vibrant social gathering place.

Bigfoot Hot Air Balloons Is Open For The Season, 
Bigfoot Balloons is now open in Joseph, OR. We will be offering sunrise Hot Air Balloon Flights all summer long. We have 2 special pricing options for local Wallowa County and Union County residents. If you have a specific date that you would fly you may book our Shared Flight at $50 off per person and if you are flexible with your dates we will put you on a standby passenger list for our shared flight with a $100 per person discount. Look for us up in the sky at sunrise! To make reservations call 432-443-7994 or go to our website.

Joseph Branch Railriders Is Open for the Season
Joseph Branch Railriders will open  May 20  and end Oct 9, 2017  for our 4th season.  We will serve you five days a week, Thursday thru Monday.
Choose between the 2 hour Joseph departure or the 6 hour Minam adventure which includes a lunch break in Wallowa. Now is the time to plan ahead for your summer adventures. We are looking forward to seeing you all this summer. Online reservations are open and can be accessed through our website,

The 2017 season includes some new trips, designed for lovers of wine and artisan food. A Wine & Chocolates Train, leaving the depot at 4 p.m., June 10, features a tasting of wines from Tero Estates Winery, expertly paired with chocolates from Petits Noirs Chocolates. Both businesses are located in Milton-Freewater, Oregon, at the south end of the Walla Walla Valley. In September, the focus shifts to wine and cheese, with Copper Belt Winery of Baker City and Umapine Creamery, located near Milton-Freewater, serving samples of their specialties.

“We have created two train rides that call attention to the amazing food and beverages produced in our region,” said Janet Dodson, a board member who helps design the trips and schedule. “Passengers will be served a light meal at the beginning of the trip and will have the opportunity to enjoy wine and chocolates (June 10) or cheese (September 30) during the return to the depot.”

Also new is a train ride designed for railroad photographers, with special stops to let photographers off the train for run-bys, giving them excellent views of the train as it passes. See the website for trip descriptions and the full schedule.

Reservations are required and are available through the online booking service on the website, www.eaglecaptrainrides.com; go to “Ride the Train” and select “Book Online” from the drop-down menu. Passengers who prefer to talk to an agent can call Alegre Travel, the excursion train reservations agency, 800.323.7330. Agents can also, upon request, book motel rooms and offer advice on other activities and attractions in the area.

Passenger train excursions use the section of track from Elgin to Minam. This section travels through mostly roadless country, staying north of Oregon Highway 82 to Enterprise, also known as the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway. Volunteers with the Friends of the Joseph Branch, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, manage the excursion business for Wallowa Union Railroad, operating the train and hosting passengers, as well as restoring the rail cars and preserving the history of the railroad. See the web site, www.eaglecaptrainrides.com for the full 2017 excursion schedule and information about how to join the Friends and volunteer to assist with train activities.

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For most trips, the Eagle Cap Excursion Train departs at 10 a.m. from the Elgin Depot and returns around 2 p.m. For those trips, lunch is served on the train.

Rides this late-summer and fall season include train robberies, a photo run to capture the autumn colors, a Wine & Cheese Train and Brews & Brats. See the trip descriptions for details and the schedule.

To reserve your seat and ensure your lunch is on the train, make your reservations by 4 p.m., the Friday afternoon prior to the trip you want to take. The train can often handle some last-minute walk-on passengers, subject to seat availability. Those waiting to purchase tickets at the depot Saturday morning should arrive at the depot by 9 a.m. and should be aware some trains sell out.

Ticket prices are:  youth, 3 to 16 = $35 / adults = $70 / seniors 60+ = $65. Lunch is prepared by Ten Depot Street of La Grande and included in the ticket price. For train tickets and details on the excursions go to www.eaglecaptrainrides.com. Or, if you prefer to talk with an agent or want lodging options, contact Alegre Travel, 1.800.323.7330 or travel@alegretravel.com.

The historic Joseph Branch, now known as the Wallowa Union Railroad, was rescued from salvage in 2003 when the Wallowa and Union county governments formed the Wallowa Union Rail Authority and purchased the highly scenic railroad connecting Elgin with the Wallowa Valley. Volunteers with the Friends of the Joseph Branch, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, operate the train and depot, host passengers, renovate the passenger cars and preserve the history of the railroad.

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Grant McOmie, a popular Portland, Oregon, news man, visited Hells Canyon Scenic Byway country in August and put together a great segment on the Joseph Branch Railriders and the Eagle Cap Excursion Train for his Grant’s Getaways program on KGW TV. Watch this segment, then take the time to explore Oregon through his eyes. It will get you itching to see all corners of our magnificent state!

Also, see some amazing images of rafting and fishing on the Wallowa and Grande Ronde Rivers with Grant Richie, owner of the Minam Motel and Minam Raft Rentals.

Fall is a beautiful time to visit the byway. The weather is mild, colors are beginning to pop and it’s easy to find accommodations. See our links page for visitor information resources and pack your car for northeast Oregon!

New this year is featured speakers and entertainment on most trips. Guest speakers give a brief introduction to their area of expertise, engage in conversation, point out highlights along the route and answer questions. (The 2012 excursion schedule will be announced in February.)

The railroad, in partnership with the Friends of the Joseph Branch, has refurbished the vintage 1938 Budd car, bringing excursion capacity to around 160 passengers. The car, which has been out of service for several years, was stripped to the walls and given a complete overhaul, including all new furniture, carpet, paint, electrical work, window seals and wainscoting. Book early as seats in the car are available on a first-come basis. The Friends provide the volunteer crew and assist with maintenance and upgrading of the passenger equipment.

For additional information and photos, go to www.eaglecaptrain.com. The Eagle Cap Excursion Train is owned and operated by Wallowa Union Railroad (WURR) on a stretch of the historic “Joseph Branch.” WURR is assisted by the Friends of the Joseph Branch, a non-profit organization that preserves and presents the history and enjoyment of the century-old rail line in Wallowa and Union Counties.