Joseph Canyon: Difference between revisions

'''Joseph Canyon''' (Nez Perce: '''an-an-a-soc-um''', meaning "long, rough canyon"<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sambur | first=Jeff | title=On the Trail of the Nez Perce:Searching for the Promised Land|work=Native Peoples Magazine|url=http://www.nativepeoples.com/article/articles/238/1/On-the-Trail-of-the-Nez-Perce/Page1.html|date=1 January 2007|accessdate=17 March 2008|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513002355/http://www.nativepeoples.com/article/articles/238/1/On-the-Trail-of-the-Nez-Perce/Page1.html|archivedate=13 May 2008}}</ref>) is a {{convert|2000|ft|m|adj=on}}-deep [[basalt]] [[canyon]] in northern [[Wallowa County, Oregon|Wallowa County]], [[Oregon]], and southern [[Asotin County, Washington|Asotin County]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], [[United States]].

Joseph Canyon contains '''Joseph Creek''', a tributary of the [[Grande Ronde River]], which flows into the [[Snake River]], a tributary of the [[Columbia River|Columbia]]. The geology is typical of the [[Columbia Plateau]], formed by the [[Columbia River Basalt Group]], and the exposed canyon walls provide a striking view of [[flood basalt]] flows and [[Dike (geology)|dikes]]. The canyon floor contains [[sediment]]s deposited by the [[Missoula Floods]].<ref name="reidel">{{Cite journal| last = Reidel | first = Stephen P. | coauthors author2= P. R. Hooper and |author3=S.M. Price | title = Columbia River Basalt Group, Joseph and Grande Ronde canyons, Washington | journal = Centennial Field Guide Volume 1: Cordilleran Section of the Geological Society of America | pages = 351–356| year = 1987 | url = http://www.gsajournals.org/archive/0-8137-5401-1/1/0/pdf/i0-8137-5401-1-1-0-351.pdf | format = PDF | accessdate = 17 March 2008}}</ref>

The canyon was named after [[Chief Joseph]] of the [[Nez Perce people|Nez Perce]], who is traditionally thought to have been born in a cave on the east bank of Joseph Creek in Asotin County.<ref name="reidel"/><ref>National Park Service, [http://www.nps.gov/nepe/planyourvisit/nez-perce-national-historical-park-sites.htm Nez Perce National Historic Park Sites]. Retrieved 17 March 2008.</ref> Prior to European settlement, the Nez Perce used the canyon bottomlands as a travel corridor from summer camp sites in the [[Wallowa River|Wallowa valley]] to winter camp sites along the Grande Ronde and Snake rivers. [[Elk]], [[bighorn sheep]], and [[mule deer]] were plentiful, as well as native plant foods associated with [[bunchgrass]] habitat.<ref name="nezperce">Nez Tribe Wildlife Program, [http://www.nezperce.org/Wolf/Draft_Plan_11'05'02.pdf Precious Lands Wildlife Area Draft Management Plan] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061004203555/http://www.nezperce.org/Wolf/Draft_Plan_11%2705%2702.pdf |date= 4 October 2006 }} (PDF), November 2002. Retrieved 17 March 2008.</ref> In later centuries, the Nez Perce grazed [[horse]]s on the canyon [[grasslands]]. Beginning in the late 19th century, pioneer settlers [[Homestead (buildings)|homestead]]ed in the area, grazing [[sheep]] and [[cattle]] and planting fruit [[orchard]]s. However, the rocky terrain prohibited extensive agricultural production.<ref name="nezperce"/>

In the late 1990s, the Nez Perce tribe acquired {{convert|15000|acre|km2}} in the Joseph Creek [[Drainage basin|watershed]] for [[Conservation biology|conservation]]. The lands currently provide wildlife habitat for two federally listed [[threatened species]], the [[Baldbald Eagleeagle]] and the [[Rainbow trout|Snake River steelhead]], and may provide habitat for the threatened [[lynx]], [[Townsend's Bigbig-eared Batbat]], and [[Mountainmountain Quailquail]]. Several threatened plant species are also known to exist in the area, including Macfarlane’sMacfarlane's four-o’clock and Spalding's catchfly. Non-threatened species include bighorn sheep, elk, mule deer, [[blue grouse]], [[golden eagle]]s, and [[red-tailed hawk]]s.<ref name="nezperce"/>

The '''Joseph Canyon Viewpoint''', at a highway pullout along [[Oregon Route 3]], is one of 38 sites that form the [[Nez Perce National Historical Park]]. The viewpoint is located approximately {{convert|30|mi|km}} north of [[Enterprise, Oregon]], and {{convert|11|mi|km}} south of the Washington border, in the [[Wallowa–Whitman National Forest]].<ref>U.S. Forest Service, [http://www.fs.fed.us/npnht/tour/josephcanyon.shtml Nez Perce National Historic Trail: Joseph Canyon Viewpoint]. Retrieved 17 March 2008.</ref>

Image:Grande ronde river.jpg|[[Grande Ronde River]] in Joseph Canyon

[[Category:Nez Perce tribe]]