Bench Canyon Trail 1937
Explore trail on map
#Wallowas
#Union
#MainEagle
#EagleCreek
Distance
Trailhead Altitude
Max. Altitude
Min. Altitude
Elev. Gain
Elev. Loss
Average Trail Slope
Max. Trail Slope

Trail Description

You'll love to hate this trail, but it does put you at a couple nice lakes and the opportunity to make a loop if you go over the top. What you'll hate is how brutally rough and steep this trail is. It looks short and easy on the map, but it destroys hikers, and also contains signs saying not suitable for stock strings. They did throw some switchbacks in the bottom stretches to make you think there was some engineering but then it goes ballistic up, then a mellow stretch over the summit, then straight down again. This roller coaster is worth doing if you want to stay at a sweet ridgetop lake with views, but get a slap in the face while you are shivering from exhaustion and you see a no-campfires sign at Arrow Lake, elevation 7,870'.

Heart Lake is accessible on a short side trail on the way up. It is kind of a nice mosquito haven with some flat camping.

Notes

0.0mi. Trail starts from the Main Eagle Trail 2.8 miles up, just after crossing Copper Creek.

1.7 Intersection for side trail to Heart Lake (7,350' elev.)

2.2 Arrow Lake, also the high point of the trail (7,850' elev.)

2.9 Intersect with Main Eagle Trail just after a really beautiful meadow.

Trail data mapped by Brian Sather on Jul 21, 2011 · Last update: Sep 9, 2023

Photos

Approaching Arrow Lake near the summit.Shoreline of Arrow LakeMeadow near the end of the trail.
Looking down the trail. Mellow-ness at the top. Cairn with a pole marking the intersection with Main Eagle Trail
Gnarliness.Just past the saddle.
Heart Lake.