Granny View Overlook and Hat Pont Lookout – 07/21/2024

With just twelve hikes remaining for us to complete our long-term goal of hiking, or at least attempting to hike, 500 featured hikes from William L. Sullivan’s “100 Hikes” guidebook series we spent a week of vacation based in Enterprise, OR to try and cut that number in half. All twelve remaining hikes were from Sullivan’s “100 Hikes Eastern Oregon” guidebook with eleven located in the Wallow Mountains, and the other being at Hat Point above Hells Canyon.

There were some question marks heading into the week. First a massive thunderstorm passed over much of Oregon on July 17th resulting in over 1000 lightning strikes, many of which were dry meaning that little to no rain was falling to the ground. While the storm had missed the Wallowas and Hat Point, dozens of fires were ignited across the state adding to several large human (idiot) caused fires that were already burning. The second issue was that I had been dealing with a tight left calf that developed after a bad step on our July 4th hike to Horsepasture Mountain (post). The calf itself wasn’t hurting, but it seemed to be aggravating my peroneal tendon. On top of that issue a few days before vacation I turned awkwardly while standing and irritated something in my left knee. I wasn’t sure how much hiking I would actually be able to do.

Fortunately the first hike that we had planned for the week was Hat Point which Sullivan lists three options for. The easiest option is two short loops gaining just 100′ of elevation. The other options are a 10.2-mile hike from Hat Point to a viewpoint 2600′ below the trailhead and a 15.4-mile hike to the Snake River that loses 5600′. Originally the plan was to try the 10.2-mile option, but with my leg issues and an excessive heat warning in effect we agreed the two short loops were the way to go. We started by parking at the Granny View Overlook where, despite it being before 6:30am the temperature was already close to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
It was warm and smokey at the viewpoint.

We set off on the mostly paved loop in a counterclockwise direction.

Most of the flowers were past bloom which we expected knowing that late June/early July would be better here, but too early for most of the other hikes we had planned for this vacation. There was still enough blooming though to make it interesting and there was still a little view despite the smoke.

Yarrow

White mariposa lily

Aster

Sulphur buckwheat

Scarlet gilia

Bee visiting some penstemon

Imnaha River canyon

A small section of the loop was lost in a 2022 wildfire.

The other end of the missing trail.

One of several interpretive signs along the loop.

Nettle-leaf giant hyssop

This appeared to be the last of the elkhorn clarkia in bloom.

Looking down wasn’t bad, but we couldn’t really make out any of the mountain peaks in the distance.

Taper-tip onions

A smokey Sun was heating things up fast.

After the short loop here we continued on Hat Point Road to the Hat Point Lookout, stopping along the way to take some photos of a couple of birds.
Grouse

One of a pair of hawks.

The Hat Point Lookout from the parking area.

We followed a paved trail uphill to the start of a loop and turned left (counterclockwise).

Paintbrush

The start of the loop.

Fireweed

The loop took us around the lookout to a ramp where we detoured to the base of the tower.

The lookout staffer?

Sunlight reflecting off of the Snake River in Hells Canyon.

Hidden in the haze are the Seven Devils mountains in Idaho.

Penstemon

The tower was closed to the public due to safety concerns.

Hells Canyon is deeper than the Grand Canyon from its highest point, 9,393′ He Devil in Idaho at 8,043′ from the river. The depth from Hat Point to the river is 5,632′.

After visiting the lookout we continued on the loop which passed an outhouse where there was an option for a shorter return loop.

Mountain coyote mint

Lewis flax

We opted for the slightly longer loop and stayed left to a viewing platform.

Continuing on the loop brought us to another interpretive sign near a bench.

Near this sign we located the trail that led down to the Snake River. There was a level ridge end a short distance below, so we decided to hike down to it.

The tread was faint in spots amid the patches of wildflowers.

There was a small rock outcrop at the ridge end.

This is where we turned around not wanting to lose anymore elevation and have to climb back up on what was already an uncomfortably warm day. As it turns out we were just about at the boundary of the Hells Canyon Wilderness.

The lookout from our turn around point.

We started back up toward the loop but veered left on a dirt trail that led past the unoccupied lookout staff quarters.

Hat Point Trail sign near the quarters.

This trailhead sign was in a large parking area near the quarters, but there were “No Parking” signs along the road here.

We then followed a path uphill past a gate near the quarters to the paved loop where we turned left to return to our car.

Lupine

The two hikes came to just under 1.5-miles. While it was an unusually short day for us it was the right call, and we felt good about the decision to keep it short and sweet.

On the drive down we did stop at a small pullout with an interpretive sign called the Five Mile Overlook.

Imnaha River canyon

Imnaha from the Five Mile Overlook.

These were nice hikes despite the conditions, but we would definitely like to come back either earlier in the Summer at peak bloom or in Autumn when it might not be so hot and smokey. For now we had one more featured hike we could cross off our list and officially be done with every area in the State save for the Wallowas. We drove back to Enterprise and after getting cleaned up headed to Jospeh for an early dinner at the Flying Pig Bar. Happy Trails!

Flickr: Granny View Overlook and Hat Point