Wallowa Lake Tramway, Aerial tramway in Joseph, Oregon.

The Wallowa Lake Tramway carries passengers up 3,700 vertical feet in approximately 15 minutes, offering panoramic views of Wallowa Lake, the surrounding valley, and the Eagle Cap Wilderness mountain ranges from its gondola cabins.

The tramway was built in 1968 and opened for service in 1970, running from the Wallowa Valley floor to the top of Mount Howard. In June 1992 a malfunction forced the evacuation of passengers, who were flown down by helicopter with no injuries reported. That same year the lift carried firefighters to the summit during a forest fire, and in 1999 owners explored adding a winter resort.

The tramway provides access to lands historically used by the Nez Perce tribe for centuries, while the valley below served as summer grounds for Chief Joseph and his people before European settlement transformed the region.

The tramway runs May through October, not year-round; it formerly operated winter weekends for skiing and snowshoeing. The four-person gondolas take about fifteen minutes one way, rising 3,700 feet from the 4,200-foot valley floor. At the top, two miles of hiking trails cross the alpine meadow, and parts of Oregon, Washington and Idaho are visible.

The tramway operates on 115 acres leased from the Forest Service under a special national forest permit. In June 1992 a malfunction forced the evacuation of passengers, who were flown down by helicopter with no injuries reported; that same year the lift carried firefighters to the top during a forest fire.