Unit 59 Snake River
Hells Canyon breaks between the Imnaha and Snake — 92 percent public, foot-and-horse trophy country for bighorn, elk, mule deer and goats.
Blue Mountains · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
459
sq mi
Public land
92%
approx.
Elevation
1,000–6,800
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
The Snake River (Unit 59) occupies the far northeast corner of Oregon, wedged between the Imnaha River on the west and the Snake River / Hells Canyon on the east. It is some of the steepest, most rugged public land in the state — deep grass-and-rock breaks plunging thousands of feet to the rivers, part of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area and Wilderness on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. At 92 percent public it is wide open to hunters willing to hike, and it holds Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, whitetail, black bear and one of Oregon's premier Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep herds, plus a limited mountain goat hunt. Effort and fitness, not access, are the limiting factors here.
Terrain
Extreme canyon breaks dropping from divides near 6,000-plus feet to the Snake River around 1,000 feet — among the deepest terrain in North America. Long, steep, largely roadless grass-and-rock slopes cut by side canyons; most of the unit is reached only on foot or horseback.
Cover: Warm canyon slopes are open bunchgrass, sagebrush, mountain mahogany and scattered ponderosa that hold wintering elk, deer and bighorns; higher benches and north exposures carry ponderosa, Douglas-fir and grand fir. Riparian brush lines the river and creek bottoms.
Landmarks: Hells Canyon of the Snake River (deepest gorge in North America) · Imnaha River (Wild & Scenic, west boundary) · Hells Canyon Wilderness / National Recreation Area · Hat Point overlook · Warnock Corral · Temperance Creek
Access
About 92 percent public — mostly Hells Canyon NRA and Wilderness on the Wallowa-Whitman NF. Wilderness portions are foot and horse only. Roads reach the rim and a few ridge points; the canyon interior requires hiking down (and back up) thousands of vertical feet, or jet-boat/river access along the Snake. Respect scattered private ranch inholdings along the Imnaha and canyon benches.
Managers: USFS - Wallowa-Whitman National Forest (Hells Canyon NRA), BLM, Private ranch inholdings
Access points: Upper and Lower Imnaha River Road (west side) · Hat Point Road / Forest Road 4240 (rim access, seasonal) · Ridge roads off the Imnaha divide · Snake River by jet boat (river access to canyon bottom) · Trailheads into the Hells Canyon Wilderness
Species notes
Bighorn Sheep
common trophyA flagship Oregon Rocky Mountain bighorn unit — the Snake and Imnaha canyons hold one of the state's core herds, hunted through very limited, once-in-a-lifetime draw tags (split into north and south Snake River hunts) that produce genuine trophy rams.
- →Glass the steep grass-and-rock canyon faces from opposing rims and benches
- →Scout hard well before the season — rams key on specific escape terrain
- →Plan extreme spot-and-stalk approaches with major elevation change
- →Consider river/jet-boat access to reach lower canyon bands
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityElk use the canyon breaks and timbered benches, wintering low on the warm grass slopes and summering high. The roadless terrain protects bulls, and the near-total public access rewards hunters who can handle the country.
- →Glass open south- and west-facing breaks at first and last light
- →Drop into canyon benches and side draws where herds hold off the rim
- →Be ready for brutal packouts — kill placement matters on these slopes
- →Late hunts: follow snow and elk down toward the rivers
Mule Deer
common qualityMule deer thrive on the open canyon breaks, with mature bucks scattered through the rugged public country. Winter range along the warm river slopes concentrates deer in cold weather.
- →Glass long across canyons onto grass-and-sage exposures at dawn
- →Hunt the timber-and-rimrock transition where bucks bed
- →Cover country on foot along benches and side ridges
- →Focus on lower warm slopes as storms push deer down
Whitetail Deer
limited opportunityWhitetail occur in the brushier canyon bottoms and along the Imnaha, less common than mule deer but present in the riparian and bench cover.
- →Hunt riparian brush and bench cover along the Imnaha and creek bottoms
- →Watch travel routes between bottom feed and timber bedding
- →Still-hunt brushy draws at first and last light
Mountain Goat
limited trophyThe Snake River canyons support a limited mountain goat hunt in the highest, most broken rock — an extremely rare Oregon tag and a true trophy for the fit hunter.
- →Focus on the highest cliffs and rock faces above the canyon breaks
- →Long-range glassing followed by committed, technical stalks
- →Plan a demanding multi-day backcountry effort
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears are common in the canyon brush and timber, huntable on the spring draw hunt and incidentally in fall. Green canyon slopes and berry fields concentrate them.
- →Spring: glass green-up on south-facing canyon slopes
- →Fall: hunt fruiting brush and mast in the draws and benches
- →Cover ground glassing the open breaks morning and evening
Cougar
common opportunityCougars follow the deer and elk through the canyon country and can be taken on a general tag while hunting other game.
- →Cut fresh tracks along snowy rim roads and benches
- →Hunt near deer and elk winter concentrations
- →Predator call in broken canyon-edge terrain
Pro tips
- →This is a fitness-and-effort unit, not an access problem — 92 percent public rewards hikers
- →Glass the open grass-and-rock breaks from opposing rims to cover huge country efficiently
- →For any sheep or goat tag, scout months ahead and learn the specific escape terrain
- →Have a serious packout plan — recovery from the canyon bottom is thousands of vertical feet
- →Consider jet-boat access on the Snake to reach otherwise brutal lower canyon country
Watch out for
- !Extreme, deep-canyon terrain — brutal climbs and dangerous slopes
- !Hells Canyon Wilderness is foot/horse only; rim roads (Hat Point) are seasonal
- !Early-season heat and scarce water in the canyon bottoms
- !Scattered private ranch inholdings along the Imnaha and benches need respect
- !Very remote, minimal services and cell coverage; weather closes rim roads early
Logistics
Imnaha is the tiny end-of-road launch point on the west side; Joseph and Enterprise are the closest full-service towns for gear, fuel and lodging. Rim roads like Hat Point are seasonal and rough — high clearance recommended. Jet-boat outfitters on the Snake offer river access to the canyon bottom. Plan for self-sufficient, physically hard backcountry hunts.
Nearest towns: Imnaha, Joseph, Enterprise, Halfway, La Grande
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Oregon sources:
Research sources: ODFW Snake River Unit 59 · ODFW Bighorn Sheep Hunt Descriptions · USFS Wallowa-Whitman National Forest / Hells Canyon NRA
FAQ
- How big is Unit 59 in Oregon?
- Unit 59 (Snake River) covers about 459 square miles, ranging from roughly 1,000 to 6,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 59?
- Approximately 92% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS - Wallowa-Whitman National Forest (Hells Canyon NRA), BLM, Private ranch inholdings. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 59?
- Bighorn Sheep, Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Mountain Goat, Black Bear, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Oregon agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 59 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.