Blue Mountains (Pacific Northwest)

The Blue Mountains are a broad mountain range in the Pacific Northwest, primarily in northeastern Oregon and extending into southeastern Washington. The region comprises forested ridges, volcanic and granitic subranges and upland plateaus, with extensive public lands used for timber, grazing and recreation.

Outdoor activities include multi-day backpacking, day hikes, hunting and dispersed camping; established national forest units and wilderness areas provide trailheads, campgrounds and managed access. The Elkhorn Mountains and other subranges host higher-elevation meadows, alpine terrain and seasonal snow.

The range has long been used by Indigenous peoples and later by logging and ranching industries; modern land management balances conservation, recreation and resource use. Geographically the Blue Mountains form a transition between the Cascade-Sierra cordilleras and the Columbia Plateau, shaping rivers and local climates across northeastern Oregon and adjacent Washington.

• Extent and recreation: The range spans northeastern Oregon into southeastern Washington and includes large areas of publicly managed forest and wilderness used for hiking, hunting and backcountry recreation.

What to See #

• Elkhorn Mountains: Elkhorn Mountains, a subrange within the Blue Mountains containing high alpine meadows and notable hiking routes.
• Public forests and recreation areas: Public lands including Umatilla National Forest that provide trail networks, campgrounds and multi-use recreation throughout the range.