Wallowa County

Also known as Wallowa County, Oregon, Wallowa County, OR

county in Oregon, United States

Key facts

Country: United States
State: Oregon
Founded: October 14, 1887
Named after: Wallowa River
Seat: Enterprise
Largest city: Enterprise
Total: 3,152 sq mi (8,160 km )
Land: 3,146 sq mi (8,150 km )
Water: 5.5 sq mi (14 km ) 0.2%
Estimate 2025: 7,595
Density: 2.2/sq mi (0.85/km )
Time zone: UTC−8 ( Pacific )
Summer dst: UTC−7 ( PDT )

Article

Wallowa County (/wəˈlaʊwə/) is the northeasternmost county in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,391, making it Oregon's fifth-least populous county. Its county seat is Enterprise. According to Oregon Geographic Names, the origins of the county's name are uncertain, with the most likely explanation being it is derived from the Nez Perce term for a structure of stakes (a weir) used in fishing. An alternative explanation is that Wallowa is derived from a Nez Perce word for "winding water". The journals of Lewis and Clark Expedition record the name of the Wallowa River as Wil-le-wah.

Wallowa County is part of the eight-county definition of Eastern Oregon.