Forty-five miles of paved winding road on steep side slopes, allow 1 1/2 to 2 hours. No gas, no services; water at some campgrounds. The road is open to wheeled vehicles June - October; in winter the route is groomed for snowmobile travel and Nordic skiing.

The Wallowa Loop offers exceptional views of the Wallowa and Seven Devils Mountains. It crosses several river drainages, including the Imnaha where Snake River Chinook Salmon and Bull Trout spawn. Along the way are numerous trailheads and campgrounds as well as the Canal Fire burn, where a lightning-caused fire burned 23,000 acres in 1989. The road narrows to 1 1/2 lanes for about 11 miles along Gumboot Creek.