Trails for everyone, forever

Home Go Hiking Hiking Guide Chief Joseph Wildlife Area - Green Gulch
WTA is a nonprofit that needs you

We're just as excited as you to get the summer hiking season started. We're psyched our website, app and work for trails help you get outside.

But we're a nonprofit that runs on donations from regular people. If everyone who visited this site this holiday weekend donated $9/month, it would fully fund our work for the next 2 years. Time spent outdoors is priceless, but every donation large or small helps us support those experiences for everyone. Thank you and happy hiking!



Please take 2 minS to chip in $9

link

Chief Joseph Wildlife Area - Green Gulch

Eastern Washington > Palouse and Blue Mountains
46.0221, -117.0276 Map & Directions
Length
10.0 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
2,500 feet
Calculated Difficulty About Calculated Difficulty
Hard
Chief Joseph Wildlife Area. Photo by thelostbotanist. Full-size image
  • Wildflowers/Meadows
  • Mountain views
  • Wildlife
  • Summits
  • Good for kids

Parking Pass/Entry Fee

Discover Pass
Saved to My Backpack

Hike down into a canyon starting at 1000 feet of elevation and descending. The trail is an old road that goes for several miles. Continue reading

Rating
3.43 out of 5

(7 votes) Log in to rate

Hiking Chief Joseph Wildlife Area - Green Gulch

Hike down into a canyon starting at 1000 feet of elevation and descending. The trail is an old road that goes for several miles. 

The Chief Joseph unit is located in the southeast corner of Washington State between the Snake and Grande Ronde Rivers, straddling Joseph Creek. It was acquired in 1974 to enhance bighorn sheep, mule deer, and upland game bird populations. The rugged grassland canyons now support populations of deer, elk, bighorn sheep, upland birds, and raptors.

It also includes quality riparian habitat that support a diversity of neo-tropical migrant birds, reptiles and amphibians. The Joseph Creek watershed is home to both steelhead and bull trout, both federally listed as threatened and managed as state species of concern. The area is popular with native wildflower viewing in the spring, wildlife watching in the summer and winter months, and hunting during the fall.

Chief Joseph Wildlife Area - Green Gulch

Map & Directions

Trailhead
Co-ordinates: 46.0221, -117.0276 Open in Google Maps

Before You Go

See weather forecast

Parking Pass/Entry Fee

Discover Pass

WTA Pro Tip: Save a copy of our directions before you leave! App-based driving directions aren't always accurate and data connections may be unreliable as you drive to the trailhead.

Getting There

From Asotin, drive up Snake River Road along the Snake River to Heller Bar, which is located at the mouth of the Grande Ronde River. Continue along the county road, which now follows the Grande Ronde. The entrance to the wildlife area is approximately 2 miles past Heller Bar. Continue past the boundary sign on the county road. The road will eventually leave the Grande Ronde and follow Joseph Creek. Continue up Joseph Creek to marked WDFW property along both sides of the road. There is private property in blocks along the road, which are clearly identified.

More Hike Details

Trailhead

Eastern Washington > Palouse and Blue Mountains

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Chief Joseph Wildlife Area

Guidebooks & Maps

Best Desert Hikes: Washington (Bauer & Nelson - Mountaineers Books)

Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Clarkston

You can improve or add to this guidebook entry!

Chief Joseph Wildlife Area - Green Gulch

11 Trip Reports

Hiked here recently?

Submit a trip report!
 
Trip Reports