| The Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness was created by the Endangered American Wilderness Act of 1978. The wilderness is located in the northern Blue Mountains of southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon and encompasses 177,465 acres. The majority of the wilderness is characterized by rugged basaltic ridges and outcroppings separated by deep canyons with steep side slopes. The Wenaha River, Crooked Creek, Rock Creek and Butte Creek have cut deep canyons into the tablelands and left heavily timbered areas along the bottoms. Elevations range from 2,000 feet on the Wild and Scenic Wenaha River to 6,401 feet at Oregon Butte. Plant communities vary widely from bunchgrass slopes to higher subalpine areas of lodgepole pine and subalpine fir. Nearly every wildlife species present in the Blue Mountains can be found within the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness including Rocky Mountain elk and bighorn sheep, white-tail and mule deer, black bear, cougar, coyote, and pine martens. Both the Tucannon and Wenaha Rivers provide good spawning habitat for Chinook salmon and steelhead. The managed trail system within the wilderness totals over 200 miles. Trails are managed to provide a primitive, unconfined recreation experience as well as access to various portions of the wilderness. Several developed campgrounds are located at or near major trail heads around the perimeter of the wilderness. |
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