Eagle Cap Wilderness: The Ultimate Backpacking Guide To Mirror Lake

The Wallowas and the Eagle Cap Wildnerness are without a doubt one the most amazing places in Oregon. The area is one of the 7 wonders of Oregon, and rightfully so. There are very few day-hiking options here without hiking 12-20 mile days. It’s an epic backpacker’s paradise with alpine lakes and various mountain peaks.

The Eagle Cap wilderness is the most visited and popular area of this eastern mountain range. There are multiple hiking options with the lush lake meadows, but I’m going to share about Mirror Lake, an alpine lake that sits at the base of Eagle Cap, a mountain within the Wallowas. Eagle Cap is a 9,572 foot mountain peak overlooking the Eagle Cap Wilderness area, which you can see from mirror lake. It has sweeping views from the summit and a short day hike from camp.

Eagle Cap Wilderness Location

The Wallowas are located in the northeast corner of Oregon, right on the border of Washington and Idaho. The trailhead to Mirror Lake in the Eagle Cap Wilderness is located off Forest Road 8210, just outside of Lostine, Oregon. The trailhead is next to Two Pan Campground and has vaulted toilets. The road is an easy forest service road, but the parking lot is very small. Therefore get to the trailhead early or plan to potentially walk up the road a ways.

Things to Know About Eagle Cap Wilderness

• Always practice Leave No Trace. In the backcountry this means staying on trail and finding pre-existing campsites to reduce your footprint. Always pack out your trash and dispose of human waste properly. Never approach or feed wildlife. Leave what you find and stay on trail so others can enjoy the beauty without interruption.

• Eagle Cap has a vast wildlife population that includes wolves, cougars, bobcats and black bears. Know what to do if you encounter one and carry bear spray. Store your food properly in a bear canister or hanging from a tree and always give wildlife plenty of space. Never feed animals.

• Eagle Cap is the most popular area in the Wallowas. This means expect to see plenty of other people on trail, especially on weekends in the summer. Be respectful of you fellow hikers, limit noise and know proper trail etiquette.

• This trail is extremely popular for pack animals. You will most likely see horses and llamas on trail. Pack animals always have the right of way because they can spook easily. Slowly move to the side to let them pass and don’t make noises or quick movements that could startle them.

• There is no trail permit required, but you will need a Northwest Forest Pass for your car at the trailhead. The parking lot fills up quickly, which could leave you walking a ways down the road and hiking to the trailhead. Getting there early will help you find a closer parking spot so you don’t have to walk extra miles.

Best Time of Year to Go

The best time to visit the Wallowas is June to October because the trails are snowed in during winter months. June to early July will come with plenty of mosquitos. Since this hike is through a lake basin, be prepared with plenty of bug spray and mosquito nets if you go during this time. The summit and surrounding area will most likely still have snow, so consider packing microspikes should you need them.

Depending on the year, late July to September should be better for the bugs and less snow on trail. The amount of snow on trial will depend on teh previous winter snowfall, therefore every year will be different. Try calling the local forest service for current conditions and check for recent trail reviews. I hiked Labor Day weekend and barely noticed the mosquitos and had zero snow on trail.

You can backpack to the lakes through October, but pack plenty of layers for cold nights. Be sure to check the weather for snow storms in the forecast. The beauty about hiking this time of year is seeing Eagle Cap with a fresh dusting.

How Many Days Does it Take?

This truly depends on your hiking speed, how much time you’re able to spend and what type of trip you’re looking for. If you are limited on time or don’t want to spend much time relaxing at the lake, you can easily do one night, two days. Your second day would be a long hike day though because you would do the 4.4 mile Eagle Cap summit and still need to hike back out.

Personally I would do 2 nights, 3 days minimum, which is what I did and it was perfect! Day one was hiking in and setting up camp. Day two was summiting and relaxing around the lake. I also explored the lake basin a little, but only make it down to moccasin lake. Day three was packing up camp and hiking back to the trailhead. I would definitely like to go back to explore more though. You can easily spend more days exploring around the lake basin area. Besides, extra days in the backcountry is always a plus. Unfortunately I didn’t have extra time off work for the extra days to explore the surrounding area, so I’ll just have to go back!

Eagle Cap Wilderness Trails

The hike to Eagle Cap Summit can be done in a day, but most people choose to backpack and split it into multiple days. It would make for a long day hike, but is also such a beautiful area you want to be able to spend time there and truly enjoy it.

The trailhead parking lot is extremely busy in summer months and fills up quickly, therefore get to the trailhead early or plan to walk a bit. This could leave you walking a ways just to reach the trailhead if you don’t get there early. This area is extremely popular for horses and various pack animals. Do not park in the designated trailer parking areas unless you have an animal trailer yourself. Remember pack animals will always have the right of way on trail.

The trail quickly begins gaining elevation as it winds through the forest and along the Lostine River. You will begin on the left side of the stream until you reach a wood bridge. The trail will remain on the right side until the end of the upper meadow. After you cross the bridge you will continue climbing through switchbacks and pass a waterfall. Shortly after the waterfall the trail will begin to level out and pop you out of the trees on the edge of Lostine Meadow. From here you will have stunning views of Eagle Cap ahead of you.

Towards the end of Lostine meadow, the trail will head into the meadow and cross the Lostine River. When I hiked this trail, the bridge was damaged. I opted to not cross the bridge in case it wasn’t safe and crossed the river in my boots. I have waterproof hiking boots, and the river at the time was so shallow it barely went above the soles of the boots. You could also throw on your camp sandals or go barefoot across if you wanted to. If the bridge has been repaired, take the bridge.

After the bridge, you will head back into the tree line and begin gaining the last bit of elevation before reaching Mirror Lake. Right before you reach Mirror Lake is a large wood post with signs directing you to the lake, Horton Pass and the Eagle Cap summit. If you are choosing to do a long, strenuous day hike, turn right and head to the summit. If you are backpacking, continue straight.

Mirror Lake is roughly another .01-.02 miles ahead. Look for an existing tent site to lessen your impact in the area. When we arrived, most campsites that had privacy were taken, so we continued around the lake and ended up getting the last spot we could find on the far side. Don’t be afraid to explore and find a good spot– there’s plenty!

Mirror Lake and Eagle Cap Summit

Mirror Lake sits at the base of Eagle Cap and is a doable, but long day hike or a peaceful backpacking trip in and of itself. There are views of Eagle Cap towering overhead from every spot on the lake. Many people hike this area just to explore the lake basin while others choose to add in a summit hike. I will share information on both sections of the trail so you can decide if you’re looking for a lakeside camping trip or a mountain summit adventure.

For more amazing summit hikes in Oregon, check out my “7 Epic Mountain Summit Hikes” guide. Another great guide is my “Ice Lake” trail, also in the Wallowas.

East Fork Lostine Trail to Mirror Lake

Eagle Cap Summit

In order to summit Eagle Cap, head back around the lake from where you found camp and look for the Horgan Pass junction sign along East Fork Lostine Trail. From this junction is a 4.4 mile round trip hike. You will take a left at the sign and begin climbing along the the left side of the creek that pours out of Upper Lake. Just as you leave the creek you will begin the first section of switchbacks along the East Eagle Trail.

You will soon reach your first fork in the trail. You can take either pass depending on snow and personal preference. I continued straight to the second junction. From this junction it’s one mile to the summit on the Eagle Cap Summit Trail.

The Eagle Cap Summit Trail will take you to around the southwest side of the mountain. The trail winds through some short alpine trees. It is mostly loose scree, but easy to maneuver through. The trail will turn back towards the summit and wrap back to the top. The trail slightly disappears just before the summit as there are few trails branching off, but keep heading up on any of them and you will reach the summit.

From the top you can see down the canyon you hiked up to Mirror Lake, the lake basin area with Mirror Lake below, Glacier Lake on the east side and stunning mountain ranges for days. I easily spent an hour just soaking in the views at the summit before heading back down. It looks like a painting from above with various shades of green and blue below.

Other Areas to Explore in the Eagle Cap Wilderness

Moccasin Lake

Moccasin Lake is a short .04 miles from Mirror lake, and also a great backpacking spot. I day hiked to the lake to explore the area more and it has great camping options if Mirror Lake is full. It sits in what is known as the Lake Basin area.

Lake Basin

The Lake Basin is an area full of meadows and lakes just north of Mirror Lake. I was unable to explore this area besides Moccasin Lake and would love to go back and camp at some of the lakes past Moccasin Lake sometime.

Upper Lake

Upper Lake sits just off the trail to Eagle Cap summit. It’s a small lake and people will choose to camp there to avoid the larger number of people at Mirror Lake. It doesn’t have the view of Eagle Cap like Mirror Lake does, but it has stunning views of Lostine Meadow.

Glacier Lake and Glacier Pass

Glacier Lake sits at the base of Eagle Cap as well, but on the other side of Glacier Pass. I was able to view the lake from the summit, but have yet to be able to explore the lake.

What to Bring

Your preferred backpacking gear. If you’re new to backpacking you can read more about the gear I bring on trips in my “Backpacking Gear” guide. If you’re new to backpacking, be sure to check our my “Backpacking for Beginners” guide.

Bug spray is a must! Being at an alpine lake is sure to come with a flock of mosquitos so go prepared. Pack plenty of spray or mosquitoes nets in your bag if you don’t want to get eaten alive. The insects will be worse in early summer because of the melting snow, but present all summer. YOu can learn more about insect repellents and great tools for bugs in my “Insect Repellants Review” guide.

Sun protection. Have clothing layers and hats to help keep the sun off of you on the summit hike and hanging out at camp. Have sunscreen to protect your skin.

Hammock. If you have one, this is definitely the hike to splurge on the weight in your pack. Lounging lakeside with views of Eagle Cap is hard to beat, but will add some weight to your pack!

Food hand bag or bear canister and bear spray. This area does have bears, wolves and large cats. Properly store your food 15’ over a tree branch or carry a bear canister. I also always carry bear spray as a worst case option and hope I never need it. Warm layers and camp clothes. It will cool off at night so pack appropriate layers for the temperature during your trip. I have warm camp socks, a down jacket and beanie for early mornings and night time. I also packed camp sandals.

To learn more about what I hike with go here to see my must-have gear, trail clothes and more!

REMINDERS

Always practice Leave No Trace. This means packing out all your gear and garbage back to the trailhead and properly dispose of it. Look for existing campsite to reduce your footprint. Dispose of waste properly by digging a hole and carry out toilet paper. Never approach or feed wildlife.It’s important to preserve the trails fro future generations so do your part in keeping them well maintained and clean.

Pack plenty of bug spray and layers to keep the bugs off, especially early in the season. Camping at alpine lakes will always have bugs. You can coat your gear in permethrin to help keep them at bay. June to July will be the worst for mosquitoes.

There is no cell service on the road into the trailhead or any of the lakes. You may be able to catch a bar or two on the summit, but don’t expect it. Have your maps downloaded with a paper map or a GPS device to help you navigate if you need it. The Wallowas will forever be one of my absolute favorite places in Oregon because of it’s unique beauty. There are endless alpine lakes to camp by, peaks to summit and views for days.

I hope this guide helps you with your adventure to Eagle Cap Wilderness! It is one of the most beautiful places in Oregon. It rightfully deserves it’s place on the seven wonders of Oregon list. The hikes to Mirror Lake is breathtaking and the views from the summit of Eagle Cap is worth all the effort. If you have any further questions or want to share your experience after, please leave a comment below!

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