Umatilla National Forest — Attraction in La Grande

Beautiful, diverse forest with plenty of space to get away from it all. 1.4 million acres of land owned by the American people and managed by the US Forest Service with offices in Pendleton, Walla Walla, Pomeroy, Ukiah, and Heppner. Some highlights include the fish derby at Jubilee Lake, hiking the North Fork Umatilla Wilderness, camping at Umatilla Forks campground, hiking to the Oregon Butte lookout tower, and skiing at Ski Bluewood resort. This National Forest offers rangelands, open Ponderosa pine savannahs, dense dark grand fir and Engelmann spruce forest, and rocky, windswept mountaintops. The Forest Service employees manage wildfire, forest health, outdoor recreation and education, water, wildlife and vegetation, cultural heritage, & law enforcement on these...

Respect Our National Forests!

I love the freedom and beauty of spending time in our national forests, but it’s essential that we all treat these spaces with respect. Think of it like drinking by a pool—keep the bottles on dry land! If you’re bringing drinks, choose beer cans over glass bottles, and always take them home with you.

When you’re enjoying the outdoors, leave the site cleaner than you found it. No one wants to see your trash, and certainly not your toilet paper from a late-night bathroom break! If we don’t keep these places clean, we risk losing access to these incredible natural gems.

Let’s all do our part to keep our forests beautiful and accessible for generations...

This review is for the Tucannon River trail. Any day spent outside is a great day, even in 105° temperatures. This hike was a bit cooler, being near the Tucannon River, but, as much of the way is still exposed, it was hot. Plenty of places along the way to cool one's heels, though. This is a walk in the woods and well worth it. Solitude is assured and wildlife abound. Deer and wild turkeys were encountered as were an incredible number of butterflies. Some nice campsites along the way. Blueberries ripe though a tad tart. Be forewarned on the drive there: once you reach the fork the road is incredibly...