The range is sometimes considered to be an eastern spur of the Blue Mountains,[4] and it is known as the "Alps of Oregon".

The highest point in the range is Sacajawea Peak, which is 9,838 feet (2,999 m) above sea level.

[6] Many geologists believe that the Wallowa Mountains in northeastern Oregon are a displaced fragment of the Insular Belt.

This is evident from the slate, quartzite, and marble present in the mountains, which come from metamorphism of the sedimentary deposits of oceans during the Triassic.

In February 2014, two backcountry skiers were killed and two others were serious injured in the southern Wallowas on Cornucopia Peak when an avalanche swept into a mountainside gully.

[19] The higher precipitation of the mountains compared with the surrounding country has created a mesic habitat in the Wallowas.

[20] Vegetation in the region contains combinations of plants found in both the Rocky Mountains and the Cascades.

[21] Above 7,000 feet (2,100 m), subalpine fir is dominant, and whitebark pine is often found on ridges and south-facing slopes.

The Nez Perce lived in the canyons and burned trees to create meadows for the horses that they obtained around 1730.

[24] Rail lines were built to the upper valley by the Union Pacific Railroad in 1919, allowing for safer transportation of logs.