[RichP]

Three Forks Trailhead on the south side of The Blue Mountains is a good early season base for access to the low and high country of this section of The Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness. The hike starts with a drop of 1700' in 3.1 miles down to Crooked Creek. Views of the area are tremendous from this trail.

Crooked Creek during the hike down from Three Forks Trailhead.

A 1700' drop in 3.1 miles on this gently graded trail down to Crooked Creek.

See the trail on the other side.

Finally at the bottom the area opens up to a large flat area before reaching the FS cabin at First Creek where a good log is located 100' upstream.

Down at the flats along Crooked Creek.

Forest Service cabin at First Creek.

The log crossing over First Creek.

The trail soon reaches Melton Creek where we had no trouble fording and the junction of The Melton Creek trail.

Crooked Creek.

Melton Creek is crossable.

Junction of Crooked Creek and Melton Creek Trails.

There is some blowdown and brush along the way but the trail is easy to follow though has many ups and downs. This is a very nice trail. It would be a shame to lose it as it doesn't look to get much maintenance.

An arch along Melton Creek Trail.

Hiking up the Melton Creek Trail.

Two sleeping bags left along the trail.

Note at trashy campsite. No beer in sight.

Prairie smoke.

Pile of basalt on trail.

We set up camp in Chaparral Basin and settled in for the night. In the morning we headed up the trail to about the 4200' level and left it at a switchback to reach the saddle below "Prominencians Peak" which is the prominence peak for Garfield County. From the saddle the going is mostly easy with some minor brush.

Prominencians Peak during the hike up from Chaparral Basin.

Headed up the ridge from the 4200' saddle.

Pretty steep but mostly open terrain on the north ridge of Prominencians Peak.

Southern Blues peaks.

Last bit to the top of the summit ridge.

A tree grows on the highpoint, 5139.'

Wallowas.

Gnarly old tree on the highpoint of Prominencians Peak.

Bald Butte and Oregon Butte over Second Creek.

Oregon Butte.

After some summit time we dropped back to the saddle and returned to camp. Before packing up I investigated the beginning of The Halsey Butte Trail leaving from Chaparral Basin which appears on the FS map but only found a couple of old cut logs and dense slide alder. The ridge up looked feasible but I didn't have time to investigate.

Spearpoint snag on the hike back down to the saddle.

Halsey Butte. The FS map shows a trail going up from Chaparral Basin but it is long gone.

Chaparral Basin camp.

Looking down Melton Creek on the hike out.

Monument Ridge on the east side of Melton Creek.

Crooked Creek.

A final look back before finishing the 1700' climb back to Three Forks Trailhead.

On the hike out I cleared as much off the trail as I could by hand but this area could use some help. It was a grunt back up to the trailhead! 21 miles and 5500' of gain. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/umatilla/recarea/?recid=56863

[Now I Fly]

That is some nice country, Rich! Spring seems like the perfect time to visit! Well done!

[cascadetraverser]

Hiking with my brother a bunch of times there, I have really enjoyed the Blues. Thanks for all your posts Rich. I gotta get back over there, soon....

[Nancyann]

Beautiful country to explore, Rich. I haven’t done much in that area yet but it looks like a great early season destination!

[glenoid]

👍 Nice trip! You are finding a lot of places where few go. Soon the northern Blues will be a lot more accessible. (Morels on the north side are about two weeks late as the snow is slowly melting).

[Brushbuffalo]

Looks like a fine area. Nice and green now.

[puzzlr]

Nice shots! That looks like beautiful country to wander through.