Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site

Set amidst the stunning backdrop of the Wallowa Mountains, the entire area is part of the ancestral homeland of the Nez Perce Tribe, and is a sacred place to the Nez Perce Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

" The property is adjacent to a Nez Perce National Historical Park, site of Old Chief Joseph Gravesite and Cemetery.

Short trails with spectacular views of the Wallowa Mountains pass Knight's Pond, a cool summer oasis and a peaceful respite for hikers.

Look for spring and summer wildflowers during your walk. You also may catch glimpses of deer, fox, bear and raptors.

"Iwetemlaykin" is the Nez Perce name for this area of the Wallowa Lake basin. Pronounced ee-weh-TEMM-lye-kinn, the name translates to "at the edge of the lake.

Opened in 2009. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department bought most of the property in 2007, using State Lottery dollars to fund $3.2 million of the $4.1 million purchase. The Oregon State Parks Trust, which holds the other share of the title to the land, paid the $900,000 balance with $300,000 donations from each of the following: The Nez Perce Tribe; the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.