During our trip to Northeastern Oregon, we have followed two different scenic byways. On Thursday we would begin the third and final byway, the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway. This route starts in Baker City and goes for over 200 miles so we will not finish it in a day. While there is an emphasis on the Hells Canyon, this byway offers more than just that particular location.
The first place we stopped goes back to the storied history of Oregon. Just a few mile outside of Baker City lies the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. This is a national historic center. It sits on top of a hill that looks out over the valley below where wagons ran over the trail leaving deep ruts that are still visible today.
The center takes visitors through what one might experience on the Oregon Trail. A section of life sized figures in the first hall illustrates people and situations along the journey. The center then points out specific challenges pioneers faced. This included such choices as what they should take with them in the limited space they had. How much food should they take? Which route is best. Where would they settle? Cues encourage visitors to contemplate and answer these questions for themselves as if they were going on the Oregon Trail.
Overall this is an interesting and creative center. The life sized figures used throughout the exhibits add to the realism of the exhibit. Another added touch is the liberal use of quotes obtained from diaries and other writings of those who made the journey. They add a strong personal element.
The center also includes a theater and an art gallery. Of course there is the obligatory gift shop which also offers some food and snacks if needed. There are some places to visit outside the center, but we didn’t avail ourselves of those options.
Leaving the Center, the terrain was pretty arid and brown. However, for some distance we followed along the Powder River. Of course the plants along the river were green and strong and provided an interesting contrast to the brown hills.
It seemed that throughout this trip we would be going up and over hills. We passed through two towns which were in the valleys after passing over another hill. The first of the two towns was Richland. We stopped here for some ice cream. It was interesting to be in the store and see the interaction of the woman in the store with her customers. As a small town, she seemed to know everyone and was asking them about school and family as she scooped up ice cream. A good example of life in a small town.
One thing we have seen a lot of on this trip is cows. They seem to pop up everywhere. We might be in a desolate place and still see a few cows. For me the interesting thing is they were mostly black. I am not used to seeing black cows. I am more familiar with the brown ones. However the black ones definitely rule the lands in this part of Oregon.
It was a long drive to reach the town of Oxbow on the Snake River. This is a place where cars can cross a bridge into Idaho. It is also considered the south end of the Hells Canyon. A few boats take tours from here up the canyon. They last about five or six hours. There are actually more boats coming out of Idaho on the north end of the Canyon. I wanted to take a boat tour, but the cost of over $200 per person and the length of the trip didn’t work out for us.
We had read about a dam on the river here so we thought we could at least check that out. However, as odd as it sounds we never found it. One sign said, “Oxbow Dam two miles.” We traveled over two miles and never saw a dam. It was very strange. We did see electrical facilities but no dam. I think it was hiding behind a loop in the Snake River. However, in looking for the dam we drove farther up river than we might have otherwise. That allowed me to get some nice photos of the Snake River and the surrounding terrain. From that standpoint, it worked out fine.
We finally decided it was time to leave Oxbow and continue our journey. We had to backtrack a bit to get to the road that would take us to the Hells Canyon Overlook. This road took us up into the forest. We finally left the brown hills behind. Once more a creek ran along side the road for quite some time so of course I needed to get a photo of North Pine Creek.
It was quite a drive, but we eventually arrived at the Hells Canyon Overlook. It was not exactly what I expected. I knew we couldn’t see the Snake River. However, I expected it to be narrow and deep canyons much like the Grand Canyon or the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Instead the area is an expansive space with the hillsides narrowing down to where the Snake River would be. Visitors can also see a number of snow-capped mountain ranges. All in all it was a pretty awe-inspiring view.
One unexpected sight was the wildflowers which covered the ground. A large variety of wildflowers added color to the area. Here are a few shots of some of the different flowers.
Back on the road again, we encountered an unexpected challenge, potholes. I am not talking a few potholes here and there but areas with many potholes. I was literally driving back and forth on the road in places trying to avoid the potholes. It also slowed us down as I couldn’t drive fast, or I would be more likely to hit one. Fortunately this problem was only in a few locations, but it was really annoying. I told Silvette it reminded me of some of the roads in Africa I had traveled.
The next stop we would make would be the town of Joseph. As we got within about eight miles of Joseph, a whole range of mountains showed up. The Wallowa Mountains were pretty spectacular as some still had snow, and they seemed to stretch for some distance. In the meantime we were diving through a valley with quite a bit of agriculture. This was a surprise for me. I had pictured Joseph as being in the mountains, but instead we encountered a beautiful green valley bordered by this large mountain range on one side.
Joseph turned out to be one of the nicest towns we visited on this trip. There were a number of shops and restaurants around which makes it a popular place for tourists. Some of the older buildings remain, but new ones have popped up also. Well maintained flower boxes lined the sidewalks, and on various street corners stood large metal sculptures, many with a western theme. It was obvious the town was thriving because we saw at least four restaurants with outdoor seating and all pretty busy on a Thursday night.
We were enjoying wandering the town, but our enjoyment ended rather abruptly. I tripped and landed on the sidewalk. I was not seriously hurt but had some scrapes that were bleeding so I needed to get them taken care of. My camera also suffered a cracked screen. So we headed to the car and to our motel which was in the next town over, Enterprise. I got myself patched up, and then we had dinner and retired to our room for the night. Tomorrow we will finish the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway.
I would say that in general Northeastern Oregon is not a crowded place to vacation. There were times we would drive ten minutes or more and not see another car. I think this part of Oregon is definitely a hidden gem on the national tourism radar. It is somewhat remote, but there are many beautiful and unique locations worth visiting. Has anyone else spent time in this part of Oregon? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this beautiful region. Don’t forget to like or comment. They are much appreciated.
Credit: The picture of the cow was taken by Silvette Lee
That’s a bit steep for a boat tour. I probably would have passed on it too. It’s too bad you weren’t able to find the dam, but the views of the river are lovely. Love the views from the Hells Canyon Overlook and all the wildflowers. What a bummer about falling and cracking the screen of your camera.
Fortunately my camera still works fine, but the cracked screen is an annoyance. I would still like to do a boat trip through Hells Canyon, but not sure if it will ever happen.
I am always amazed at how much color you can capture with your filming system. We have traveled through that area a few times on our way to visit family in Idaho and on to Dakota. Being born a country boy I always love the wide open spaces and finding wild animals and birds. Lots of wide open spaces where, “The dear and the antelope roam”. Thanks for sharing.
Les, thanks for sharing. I haven’t really gone into Idaho from there. I have only been up in Idaho’s panhandle. Thanks for the comment on my photos. I do work on them and usually enhance the colors. That’s the joy of using digital photography.