The Pine Lakes Trail as you enter the Eagle Cap Wilderness (Cheryl Hill)

Meadow near Pine Creek on the Pine Lakes Trail (Cheryl Hill)

Pine Creek Falls, just off the Pine Lakes Trail (Cheryl Hill)

The Pine Lakes Trail as far as Pine Lakes (bobcat) Courtesy: Caltopo/USFS

• Start point: Cornucopia Trailhead
• End point: Pine Lakes
• Hike type: Out and back
• Distance: 14.7 miles
• Elevation gain: 2,700 feet
• High point: 7,585 feet
• Difficulty: Difficult
• Seasons: Late July into October
• Family Friendly: No
• Backpackable: Yes
• Crowded: On summer weekends

Hike Description

In the less traveled southern Wallowas, the Pine Lakes Trail #1880 takes you up Pine Creek and then switchbacks up above the West Fork Pine Creek to enter the Eagle Cap Wilderness. Your destinations are the twin Pine Lakes, nestled below Tuck Pass and Granite Mountain in a picturesque granite alpine cirque. In summer, the trail is rocky and dusty and well-traveled by pack stock. You'll begin the hike at the atmospheric ghost town of Cornucopia, worth an exploration in itself, which was a center for gold mining activity for about 60 years beginning in 1885.

The Pine Lakes Trail starts out on an old dusty mining road. The old road soon crosses the East Fork Pine Creek at a horse ford, but just downstream from the ford is a footbridge for hikers. The trail parallels Pine Creek, which soon comes into view. The views of the surrounding mountains start opening up as well. Cornucopia Peak, riddled with old mining prospects, rises just to the west. Some rusting mining artifacts can still be seen along the trail.

After one mile, the trail reaches Pine Creek, where the footbridge has been seriously damaged. Fording the creek is perhaps a better option than crossing the twisted bridge. The trail/road bed continues north on the other side of the creek for another mile before crossing over the West Fork Pine Creek on a large bridge built for both hikers and stock. After this third bridge, the trail starts gaining some serious elevation, but switchbacks make for an even grade. If you feel comfortable going off-trail for a short distance, leave the trail at an east-turning switchback to view Pine Creek Falls. This nice little waterfall also has an upper tier that can't be seen from the viewpoint.

Back on the trail continue climbing up, and you'll see other waterfalls on the Middle Fork Pine Creek. The trail levels out a bit and makes a long traverse along the lower slopes of Granite Mountain, high above the creek. It enters the Eagle Cap Wilderness along the way. This section has no shade and can be pretty hot on summer afternoons. The trail finally leaves the West Fork Pine Creek and climbs up many more switchbacks before crossing the outlet stream just below the concrete wall (and all kinds of debris) at the lower Pine Lake. A waterfall below the lake is very difficult to see or get to. Continue about a quarter of a mile to the north shore of the larger of the two Pine Lakes, which is undammed and sparkles enticingly in its granite bowl. Perhaps the best spot for a camp is on the narrow ridge separating the two lakes.

Several longer backpacking loops are possible using the Pine Lakes Trail (see the trip reports below).

Maps

• Maps: Hike Finder
• Green Trails Maps: Wallowa Mountains: Eagle Cap Wilderness #475SX
• Adventure Maps: Eagle Cap Wilderness Trail Map
• Imus Geographics: Wallowa Mountains: Eagle Cap Wilderness
• U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Eagle Cap Wilderness
• U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Regulations or Restrictions, etc.

• Area around the trailhead is private land; keep to the trails
• Share trail with stock
• When camping at Pine Lakes make sure you are camped 100 feet from the lakeshore. Group size is limited to 12 or less.

Trip Reports

• Search Trip Reports for Pine Lakes Hike

• Wallowas Cornucopia Loop
• Eagle Cap - Cusick Mountain -- 7/30 - 8/2/15
• Hiking part of the Pine Lakes Trail - 8/17/13

Related Discussions / Q&A

• Search Trail Q&A for Pine Lakes Hike
• Wallowas via Cornucopia Trailhead

Guidebooks that cover this hike

• 100 Hikes: Eastern Oregon by William L. Sullivan
• Hiking Oregon's Eagle Cap Wilderness by Fred Barstad
• Hiking Oregon's Geology by Ellen Morris Bishop

More Links

• Cornucopia Trailhead (USFS)
• Pines Lakes Trail #1880 (Hiking Project)
• Pines Lakes Trail (Just Peachy)
• Pine Lakes Hike (Share Oregon)
• Pine Lakes (Hiking From Here)
• "A lake hike, a lodge, a ghost town: Adventures in Cornucopia, Oregon" (Oregon Live)
• Pine Creek Falls (Northwest Waterfall Survey)

Contributors

• justpeachy (creator)