Baker City, OR Summary

In the forested hills east of John Day, US-26 turns southeast for the long run down to Idaho. More enjoyable is the far shorter drive on Hwy-7 through the southern reaches of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest to red-brick BAKER CITY, a Gold Rush boomtown and now the commercial center for the surrounding cattle lands. The Oregon Trail Interpretative Center (daily: Apr-Oct 9am-6pm; Nov-Mar 9am-4pm; $5; tel 541/523-1843, ) at Flagstaff Hill, five well-signposted miles east of town, was built to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the trail in 1993. As well as audiovisual displays, the complex has around four miles of original trails featuring well-preserved wagon ruts and other points of interest. Back in town, the Oregon Trail Regional Museum, 2480 Grove St (Apr-Oct daily 9am-4pm; $3.50), has artifacts from pioneer days, but is most notable for its fine collection of rocks, petrified wood, and fluorescent geodes glowing under ultraviolet light.