River Escape
Sting relief pads are provided on your car just in case & you are welcome to bring along your own preferred remedy as well.
If you are allergic please come prepared with your EpiPen or consider riding earlier in the season when they aren't beeing annoying...
ATTENTION:
There is absolutely no smoking or use of anything that makes fire or sparks anywhere on our property. You are responsible if you start a fire.
About this trip...
We created this shorter Minam trip option to help open up this amazing scenery to more folks, we get it, not everyone wants to take on 20 miles.
Enjoy this peaceful pedal through a timbered canyon alongside the tumbling Wallowa River. With amazing landscapes, plenty of fresh air, and a good possibility of wildlife sightings this trip is absolutely breathtaking. Keep your eyes peeled for birds, marmot, deer, elk, and maybe even a bear, it's wild out there.Your adventure begins near the famed Minam Store at the confluence of the Wallowa and Minam Rivers and your midpoint is just before a short trestle across a year round creek known as Howard Creek. Howard Creek is a vital source of life for local ranch land.
Once you arrive at your midpoint you'll enjoy a 30 minute rest overlooking the river while nestled deep in the river canyon. It's a perfect opportunity to relax and eat a snack / lunch that you pack in.
See trip gallery at bottom of page.
💡 Important Tips
Enjoy this peaceful pedal through a timbered canyon alongside the tumbling Wallowa River. With amazing landscapes, plenty of fresh air, and a good possibility of wildlife sightings this trip is absolutely breathtaking. Keep your eyes peeled for birds, marmot, deer, elk, and maybe even a bear, it's wild out there.Your adventure begins near the famed Minam Store at the confluence of the Wallowa and Minam Rivers and your midpoint is just before a short trestle across a year round creek known as Howard Creek. Howard Creek is a vital source of life for local ranch land.
Once you arrive at your midpoint you'll enjoy a 30 minute rest overlooking the river while nestled deep in the river canyon. It's a perfect opportunity to relax and eat a snack / lunch that you pack in.
See trip gallery at bottom of page.
💡 Important Tips
We provide an outhouse restroom for our guests to use at our midpoint, please don't expect 5 star facilities by any means, but it'll beat going in the woods.
Review the following prior to booking
This trip departs from Minam, Oregon.
Visit our Minam Directions page for a map, landmarks, and common travel times.Minam trips generally must be booked at least 6 hours in advance.
If a trip is full we highly suggest joining our waitlist. You may do this during the online booking process. You will be automatically notified if space comes available.
Groups larger than two will be split between multiple Railriders
If your group is odd numbered, one person will share a Railrider with your guide or a new friend.Prefer a solo car? - You'll need to book an extra ticket to make your party even to reserve a private Railrider if so desired.
Children ages 13 and up may ride together on their own Railrider
A responsible adult must be present on the trip.
Safety Reminder: There is a 300lb / 136kg weight limit per each seat.
This is a limitation of our equipment and to ensure your safety it is a rule we cannot bend.
Booking a trip in the next 7 days? Be sure to check the weather forecast.
Trip Specific Questions
↓ click question / item to expand ↓
This is the one if you want to get away from it all. You can say goodbye to the world as you won’t have cell service for more than 99% of your journey. If you love a variety of birds this trip typically delivers.
Typically guests with at least an average fitness level will enjoy this trip most. If you are someone who enjoys a moderate to sometimes vigorous hike then you will do just fine on this trip.
We have a 300lb weight limit per seat.
All times of the year are great. But if you have certain sensitivities to rainy weather, heat, cold, or crowds you may want heed this advice.
Weather
The beginning and end of season may be rainy. If you come in May, early June, Late September and October expect there to be a higher chance or rainy days. We do have some pretty fun trips in light rain but if potentially getting wet and sometimes cold and wet isn’t your thing then you might want to work with us to find a dry day to ride.
On the flip side, late June, July, and August is typically dry and warm/hot. We usually only get a stretch of days up to a week of temps north of 100 degrees.
Sensitivities to Heat / Sun
If traveling during our summer months we encourage you ride our morning or evening trips. Always remember to hydrate and use sun protection.
Sensitivities to Cold
We have scheduled our season with this in mind offering only our mid-day trips during the cooler parts of the season so the trips are more comfortable. However there are sometimes some cool / cold days that sneek in in May, early June, and again in September. We encourage you to book during the middle of the day if cold is uncomfortable during these times of year.
Crowds
The beginning and end months of our season typically have less people on our trips if crowds are a concern. However we never have more than 30 people on our attraction.
Bonus Tip
The early months of the season offer spring blooms, and the later months offer fall colors both of which are a little extra icing on an already awesome slice of cake.
Start
You will depart as a group at your scheduled start time. You will generally get some space in between Railriders as you travel between your start and midpoints.
This trip is nearly flat with a max of .5% grade. It has a mix of slight ups and downs.
Break Time
At 7 miles in you will come to our outhouse and rest area. You will stop here for your break.
Note our remote toilets are very difficult to get in place and are rarely cleaned during the season so please don’t expect 5 star facilities, but it beats going in the woods.
You’ll carefully dismount your Railrider.
This is a great time to eat a snack or lunch. This break will be 30 minutes. This is a good time let your guide know if you need a seat adjustment.
Depending on the river conditions you may be able to walk down to the rivers edge under the Howard Creek bridge, do so at your own risk. No walking on the bridge. Your guide will turn your Railriders around during the break.
Return Leg
Now you are energized for your return trip but remember a gentle pace is key, take it easy and the ride will be easier.
Home Base
Congratulations you made it! If you are heading to Joseph check out our souvenir shop and museum area in our depot at 501 W. Alder St.
Don’t forget to share pictures and stories of your adventure with friends and family.
Now it’s time to decide which trip to conquer next. They are all special in their own way.
There will be no opportunity to buy food or drink until the end of your trip so you’ll have to bring what you need.
There is a basket onboard so there is room for some essentials.
Note: If you use jump seats your storage space will be limited, make sure you have bags with straps you can hang them by.
First and foremost should be hydration.
*remember the more you bring the more you pedal
Essentials you should bring
- Water / Sports Drink (every seat has at least one cup holder that will fit a standard 20 ounce water bottle)
- Lunch / Snacks (You will have a 30 minute rest break. You may pack a picnic lunch or snacks)
- Weather Protection (sun hat, sunscreen, rain gear, jacket, etc.) Please research your riding conditions so you come prepared.
- Picture Taking Apparatus (Camera, cellphone, goPro, whatever you have there’s a lot to capture)
Nice things to have
- Binoculars
- Small snacks
- Small soft sided cooler
- Smiles
- Fun stories
- A treat for your guide
Tips for a fun trip
It can still be quite cool here in Wallowa County in May and June and once September comes around it starts again so a jacket or windbreaker may be helpful.
We strongly urge the use of sun protection. The air is very clean here and we’re closer to the sun than you might be used to so take this sun protection tip to heart.
Even the shortest amount of time out without protection can lead to a quick sunburn.
Your midpoint stop of 30 minutes at Howard Creek is a great place to stretch your legs and eat a snack or an early lunch.
If river conditions are favorable, your guide will direct you to a pathway to get you down to the creek edge for a closer view.
While you refuel and soak in the view your guide will turn around the Railriders for your return journey. They’ll let you know when it’s time to leave, don’t wander too far and watch out for rattlesnakes!
Short answer, not much.
You will find a small convenience store and food cart (the folks here are great!), rafting service with rentals available, and a state recreation area nearby.
If you are passing through Wallowa or want to see more sites you should really check out this neat little town.
Wallowa has food, water, restrooms, parks, motels, and an RV park. There are antiques, artwork, and rich history to be found here.
There is a small park for a picnic or several small cafés for lunch or dinner.
Need Help Finding Lodging? CLICK HERE
Things to see and do in Wallowa:
- Visit the Farmers Market for local produce and handmade crafts
- Check out the Gene Hayes Gallery & Museum (301 Donald St., Wallowa, OR 97885) Hayes Art Group Facebook Page
- Explore native history at the Wallowa Band Nez Perce Trail Interpretive Center (209 East Second St., Wallowa, OR 97885)
- Take a moment to relax at the quaint Wallowa Library
There is no safe way to transport an animal onboard a Railrider.
It is also strictly prohibited in our use contract with the Railroad, so ultimately it’s out of our hands.
- Arrive 10 minutes early (in Minam) See Map
- Visit restroom if needed
- Provide your name to crew member
- Sign paper waiver if you did not sign online
- Listen to safety briefing
- Get seat adjusted
- Load your gear
- Have fun!
Road Crossings
This trip is the only trip we offer that doesn’t have road crossings to worry about.
Hydration
Be sure to begin hydrating a couple hours prior to your trip. Bring along some water or sports drinks.
Sun Protection
The sun can be very intense at times in Wallowa County. We urge you to please use sun protection.
We recommend sunscreen, large hats, & sunglasses.
Stings & Allergies
This is the outdoors and we have bees, wasps, hornets, as well as a variety of grasses & hay.
Please come prepared with your EpiPen and notify your guide of your allergy prior to riding.
Black Bear
We will be in bear country. Always keep an eye out, its a treat to spot one.
We have whistles on each car that you can use to startle a bear if needed. There will also be bear spray evenly spaced in the line of cars for emergency use.
Please practice your animal wrangling skills somewhere else.
Snakes
In the lower canyon you are in Rattlesnake territory. Always carefully look where you step.
You are not Steve Irwin so please don’t play with the snakes.
Seat Belts
A lap seat belt must be worn whenever your Railrider is in motion.
All Minam Round Trip units are two seat Railriders.
- Both seats have the ability to pedal.
- Pedaling is freewheel style, each side pedals independently .
- You may rest while the other person pedals if needed.
- Our Minam trips can be pedaled by a single guest.
Your guide typically pedals by themselves. If you are by yourself your guide would be happy to pedal with you to share the work and make the trip more enjoyable all around.
Lap riding is not permitted unless it's an infant secured in a chest carrier.
Railriding with Children? LEARN ABOUT SEATING OPTIONS
Guest Seat
This trip is booked by the seat. $60 ticket = One Seat
Most children 8 years+ can properly reach the pedals, Children ages 4 to 7 may use these seats and will ride along without pedaling (this will make the pedaling for the adult more challenging)
These seats have lap style seat belts
Children must be accompanied by an adult
How to Book:
Select the number of tickets needed for your group on the 1st page during booking
To avoid double booking: If you need a Child Seat for your child(ren) do not book $60 tickets for them, only add the Child Seats needed.
Add On Child Seat
Non-Pedaling add on seat for Children ages 2 - 7
Add up to 2 Child Seats per Minam trip, we only have one car that they can attach to
5-point or lap style seat belt depending on child size
Attention Adults - Adding Child Seats and children to your Railrider will require more pedaling effort due to the additional weight
Not Available during the hottest part of Summer (mid-July through the end of August)
How to Book:
After selecting your Guest Seat, use the "Continue Shopping" button on the 2nd booking page to add the Child Seats to your booking.
To avoid double booking: If you need a Child Seat for your child(ren) do not book $80 tickets for them, only add the Child Seats needed.
Arrive 15 minutes prior to your departure time, don't be late.
If you miss our safety briefing you will not be permitted to ride, this is a requirement of the railroad.
Review the Conditions & Risks of Railriding
Your party must agree to this during checkout
RIDE AT YOUR OWN RISK
Trip routes are subject to change in situations beyond our control
Policies in a nutshell
Short notice changes, last minute cancellations, late arrivals, & missed trips are costly to our small business, as a result we have simplified our polices.
*Important*
All changes, rescheduling, and cancellations made before departure are to be completed by the guest using your customer portal, the link is in your confirmation email, (look for the yellow ticket). This link is included in all other email correspondence as well.
Rescheduling
Date / time changes must be made at least 5 Days before departure. No schedule changes are permitted after that point in time.
Cancellations
Guest-initiated cancellations must be made at least 3 days (72 hours) before departure to receive a full refund to the original form of payment.
Cancellation requests made inside of this window up until 24 hours before departure must be requested via email to info@jbrailriders.com. These cancellations will be treated as a last-minute cancellation and you will receive a Railriding Credit in the form of a gift card minus (-) previously paid booking fees & an additional 15% cancellation fee. Refund gift cards will not expire and are fully transferable to another person. Guest initiated cancellations made within 24 hours of departure will NOT receive a refund.
If we decide it’s necessary to conduct a company-initiated trip cancellation for any reason at any time up to and at departure time guests will receive a full ticket value Railriding Credit less any booking fees. There will not be a cancellation fee for a company-initiated cancellation. Guests who have added Joseph Branch Trip Protection (JBTP) will receive a full ticket value refund back to their original form of payment, less the JBTP and booking fees.
Additional protection
Joseph Branch Trip Protection (JBTP)
During booking guests are offered the opportunity to add Joseph Branch Trip Protection (JBTP) to their booking for a small 10% fee. With JBTP, changes are permitted up until 12 hours before departure & cancellations made inside of the 72 hour window and at least 12 hours before departure will receive a full ticket value refund back to the original form of payment. Booking and JBTP fees will not be refunded.
Cancellation requests must be submitted via email to info@jbrailriders.com.
Cancellation requests within the 12 hour cutoff will not receive a refund regardless of the purchase of JBTP.
In the event of a company-initiated cancellation Guests with JBTP will receive a full ticket value refund back to their original form of payment, less the JBTP and booking fees.
Joseph Branch Trip Protection may be added to any purchase up to 30 days prior to departure. To add JBTP post purchase email info@jbrailriders.com. Include the name the booking was placed under, the booking id number if available, and an authorization to charge your card on file.
Emergency Changes / Cancellations
Communication is key, if you absolutely have to make a short notice change or cancellation, please contact us prior to your scheduled arrival time and we will discuss your options. We are a family run, human company, extenuating circumstances will be addressed on a case by case basis but we do encourage you to add trip protection to protect your investment.
Unforeseen Company Wide Closure
Rail bike companies rely on lots of moving parts and entities who must consistently shake hands for operations to run smoothly and for many aspects to run at all. Being such a rare entity makes this extra interesting and challenging.
In the event of a company wide closure we will make every effort to refund existing bookings and outstanding gift card balances. We will not be responsible or liable for any other costs, e.g. lodging, travel, loss of wages, etc.
If something like this would to happen we ask for your patience and understanding as this would mean the loss of our livelihood for our family.
Final Thoughts
We understand there is sometimes a need to adjust or cancel bookings, that’s life, but things such as last minute cancellations, late arrivals, and no shows often prevent others who may want to go from having an opportunity to do so. We try to keep our policies fair, but we also strive to limit these occurrences as much as possible. We are here if you need assistance rescheduling and may get you a gift card if you need to wait. We appreciate your understanding.
During booking guests are offered the opportunity to add Joseph Branch Trip Protection (JBTP) to their booking for a small 10% fee. With JBTP, changes are permitted up until 12 hours before departure & cancellations made inside of the 72 hour window and at least 12 hours before departure will receive a full ticket value refund back to the original form of payment. Booking and JBTP fees will not be refunded.
Cancellation requests must be submitted via email to info@jbrailriders.com.
Cancellation requests within the 12 hour cutoff will not receive a refund regardless of the purchase of JBTP.
In the event of a company-initiated cancellation Guests with JBTP will receive a full ticket value refund back to their original form of payment, less the JBTP and booking fees.
Joseph Branch Trip Protection may be added to any purchase up to 30 days prior to departure. To add JBTP post purchase email info@jbrailriders.com. Include the name the booking was placed under, the booking id number if available, and an authorization to charge your card on file.
Late Arrivals
Arrive at the time instructed. Late arrivals will be treated as a no show. If you are not present for our safety orientation you will not be permitted to ride. No exceptions. Your instructed arrival time is setup to allow time for check-in, safety orientation, and seat adjustments. There will be no refunds or rescheduling for late arrivals or missed trips.
No-Call No-Show
If you do not show up you are NOT ELIGIBLE for a refund or rescheduling.
Booking Errors
We make great efforts to make everything you need to know as clear as possible. Please take your time to read and book the correct equipment for your needs. If you need help reach out to us at info@jbrailriders.com
Over booking: If you overbook your trip you will not receive a refund for unused cars/seats. These errors cost us potential guests who may have wanted to go and couldn’t.
Under booking: We do not hold cars aside for walkups. If you under book for your seating needs, there is a likelihood that we won’t have enough space for everyone to ride. We will not refund the items already booked if this happens.
We reserve the right to maintain a safe and enjoyable atmosphere for all our guests, and thus we reserve the right to refuse service to inattentive, disrespectful, or misbehaving guests without refund. Ignorance of and/or blatant disregard of our rules and expectations will not be tolerated.
We will operate in light rain. We have had many fun trips on days with predicted rains. The weather changes rapidly and much of the predicted precipitation tends to stick to the mountains.
Inclement Weather Procedures
In the event of poor conditions that are expected to change rapidly we will start with a 15 minute delay and continue with delays in 15 minute intervals up to one hour until it clears. If it doesn’t improve we will be forced to cancel and attempt to reschedule the trip.
Poor Condition Rain Check Gift Card Refund
We reserve the right to cancel outings for any reason we deem necessary. If this happens we will make every effort to work with you to find an alternative time or date for you to enjoy Railriding. If we cannot make that happen we will issue a full ticket value refund via a Rain Check gift card*.
We are very cautious when it comes to our guest and guide safety. However, if we deicide that we will operate a trip in conditions that you don’t want to ride in and you choose to cancel due to those conditions you will receive a credit in the form of a Rain Check gift card*. This applies to an at the time of the trip decision. All other cancellations or changes will be subject to our standard terms.
*You may receive a full ticket value refund back to the original form of payment if you elected to add Joseph Branch Trip Protection to your booking.
We generally are able to operate in most conditions with the exception of the following:
- Temperatures above 103 degrees
- Thunderstorms, any sign of lighting
- Heavy rain (not very enjoyable and we loose traction)
- Wet conditions (any active precipitation) in weather colder that 45 degrees
- Heavy fog
- Smokey conditions where the air quality index is above 150: Unhealthy level or higher
- Extreme winds or dust storms
- A combination of these at varying degrees of intensity
Essentially it comes down to ensuring the safety of everyone and making sure your Railriding experience is memorable for all the right reasons.
Please refer to our Policies page for weather related cancellation details and more.
Prohibited Items
- Alcohol
- Hard sided / foam coolers
- Animals
- Sour attitudes
- Frowns
- Loud speakers (headphones are fine)
Prohibited Activities
The following activities are strictly prohibited on all Railriding grounds including our parking areas, restrooms, and anywhere along the trips.
- No Smoking / Vaping (we traverse high fire risk areas on all of our trips)
- No Alcohol or Drug Use
- No playing Loud Music
- Please try to keep profanity in check
Railriding is a family friendly activity and these restrictions are in place for guest safety, the safety of the environments we explore, and to ensure all guests enjoy themselves in a fun, safe, and welcoming environment.
There is no safe way to transport an animal onboard a Railrider.
It is strictly prohibited in our use contract with the Railroad to have an animal onboard in any capacity, this is out of our hands.
