Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / Oregon / Wallowa Mountains

Ice Lake and the Matterhorn (Eagle Cap Wilderness)

Eagle Cap Wilderness, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest (Wallowa Lake Trailhead, south of Joseph)

Ice Lake sits in a high cirque at about 7,850 feet below the Matterhorn and Sacajawea, which Evans Outdoor Adventures calls the Eagle Cap Wilderness’s two tallest peaks. It’s a steep, one-night target from the same Wallowa Lake Trailhead that serves the Lakes Basin.

Oregon Hikers rates it difficult and says campsites fill on summer weekends, so a midweek trip is easier.

The hike

From the trailhead at the south end of Wallowa Lake (about 4,645 feet), fill out a wilderness permit and take West Fork Wallowa River Trail #1820. Oregon Hikers says to keep left at the Chief Joseph Mountain junction at about a quarter mile. A short spur soon leads to a view of the river rushing through a narrow gorge.

The trail enters the Eagle Cap Wilderness past an avalanche-scarred slope and boggy seeps. At about 2.5 miles, turn right onto Ice Lake Trail #1808, which crosses the West Fork. Oregon Hikers says the original bridge washed out in 2011 and a single log with a rail replaced it; Evans Outdoor Adventures says a footbridge now spans the river and notes the crossing was once hazardous in July snowmelt. Check current conditions.

The climb is the main event. The City of Joseph’s guide says the last 5 miles gain about 2,350 feet over a rockslide and through subalpine and alpine terrain, ending on switchbacks over rocky ground. Oregon Hikers describes wide switchbacks tightening up the Adam Creek ravine, with Beauty Falls in view and Ice Falls dropping onto the bench above. The trail crosses a lush meadow and a creek, then climbs more switchbacks to the alpine bench. The lake stays hidden until you’re almost there.

Evans reports that snowdrifts lingered in early July, and the City of Joseph warns that snow is possible even in July and that nights at this elevation can feel like winter. Evans refilled water at the Ice Lake outlet and at a meadow about 6 miles in.

The City of Joseph says Ice Lake offers the best access to the Matterhorn, and Oregon Hikers says many visitors climb it, describing a marble summit. A commenter on the Evans post says they spent two nights at the lake to explore the peak and surrounding terrain.

For a longer trip from the same trailhead, see the Lakes Basin via the West Fork Wallowa River.

Tips

Camping

Camping is dispersed. Under the Forest Service’s Eagle Cap Wilderness order (06-16-05-25-01, in effect through April 10, 2027), every party needs a permit, camping is banned within 100 feet of any lake or posted wetland, and campfires and wood stoves are banned within a quarter mile of Ice Lake, which is on the order’s list. Groups are limited to 12 people and 18 head of stock. Gear can’t be left for more than 72 hours.

Oregon Hikers says most campsites are on the left after you cross Adam Creek, the most popular sites are on a small peninsula on the east shore, and the south shore is mostly swampy. The City of Joseph notes that horse forage is almost nonexistent here.

Inside Intel: Evans Outdoor Adventures camped on a lakeside peninsula with views to the south, calling it one of their best campsites. They describe a small, sheltered section that felt like its own lake, and they had solitude even with other parties at Ice Lake.

Trail facts

The Lowdown

Morning coffee below the Matterhorn:

Ice Lake is on the Eagle Cap's no-campfire list, and July nights up here can feel like winter. See which backpacking stoves boil fast in the cold.

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Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.