No matter what season you visit, the Kokanee Inn is a warm and friendly sanctuary for travelers to Eastern Oregon. We encourage all guests to make themselves at home during their stay. Guests are welcome to relax and socialize in our two spacious common rooms: the main lounge, which offers views of the grounds and the nearby Wallowa Mountains, and the upstairs lounge, where you will enjoy an adjacent deck boasting some of the best views in town.
History
Jim and Ethel Chandler opened the Chandler’s Bed, Bath and Trail Inn in 1985. The beautiful post and beam structure, with soaring ceilings and exposed cedar has hosted many memories and adventures over the years. The Chandlers originally furnished the Inn with family keepsakes, including an antique tub, sewing machine and quilts, and these keepsakes remain an integral part of the Inn today. Photos from the early years of the Inn show family and guests high on the Wallowa Mountain trails, and laughing and enjoying time in the Inn. In re-opening the Inn, Eric and Missy seek to honor those early years of the Inn, and offer the same hospitality and adventure that the Chandlers were known for to a new generation of guests.
Meet The Inn Keepers
Eric Makela and Missy Britt, the new owners and operators of the Kokanee Inn, bring their lifelong passion for travel, nature, and adventure to work every day. It has always been Eric and Missy’s dream to own a lodge or inn. After experiencing plenty of adventures over the years, some good and some not so good, they have decided to take the plunge and open the doors of the Kokanee Inn to guests from all over the world. With backgrounds in energy efficiency and sustainability, Eric and Missy strive to create a lodging experience that is good for guests and for the environment.
Eric is an avid cyclist from a small logging and fishing town. Though he’s always been a road biker, he is expanding his repertoire to include mountain biking as well. He is a great resource for any questions you may have about cycling around the region and other areas in the Western U.S. Having lived all over the country, Missy refers to herself as a “geographical mutt.” She loves all sorts of trails, whether they are for hiking, running, or snowshoeing, and is happy to provide you with all the information you may need for hitting the trails in Wallowa County.
Eric and Missy are thrilled to put down roots in the beautiful mountain town of Joseph, Oregon. They are excited to welcome travelers to the Kokanee Inn and provide guests with a welcoming, comfortable, and fun homebase during their adventures throughout the region.
