Chief Joseph Wildlife Area - 4-O Ranch

The 4-O Ranch section of the Chief Joseph Wildlife Area provides hikers with incredible opportunities to view wildlife. As you follow the Grand Ronde River, walk over rolling hills through meadows filled with wildflowers, talus slopes, and ponderosa pine woodlands. The 4-O Ranch Unit is 10,500 acres of land acquired between 2011 and 2015 dedicated to preserving endangered species. There is also opportunity for fishing in the Grand Ronde River, a tributary of the Snake River.

Begin your journey from the parking lot, where there is a vault toilet for your convenience. A sign indicates the Wildlife Area behind a gate across the road. The trail continues behind the gate as you walk on an old jeep trail/cow path.

After a brief climb, the trail becomes more of a road running parallel to a barbed wire fence. Watch for another track that veers off to the left on the other side of the fence. Where the two tracks intersect, there’s a makeshift gate. With a little effort, you can lift a loop of wire from a post, lay down a section of the fence and step through. Be sure to fasten the gate once you’re through.  

The track zig-zags up the side of the hill, giving you sweeping views of a couple of dramatic bends in the Grande Ronde River. In the spring, you’ll see wildflowers as you walk up the hillside. At the crest of the hill, look out for a massive ponderosa pine at the top as you look out onto large herds of elk. 

There are many different animals that call this area home. Hikers have the chance of seeing eagles, bear, bighorn sheep, deer, elk, cougar, butterflies and various other small mammals and reptiles/amphibians. Steelhead and bull trout live in the creeks and river. It is a wonderful spot for wildlife viewers looking for a day hike.