This is the sign that directs you to the interpretive center.

Just outside of Baker City, on Bureau of Land Management property, is located the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. If you happen to pass through Baker City, it would be well worth your time to spend a day and visit this site. On the property are clearly visible ruts from the great migration to this part of the country. And the center is there to tell the story of the people who traveled this trail. 

The facility is large and well presented. There was an encampment of re-enactors at the site when we visited. These people were demonstrating family life on the trail west.

If you are as lucky as we were, there might even be re-enactors encamped on the grounds.

There is a series of dioramas depicting the western movement. Teams of oxen pulled most of the wagons. The dioramas are the focal point of the interpretive center.

There are several abandoned mines on the property as well as a replica of one of the early mines.

The Flagstaff Mine was once a major employer here. This is a recreation of one of the mines from many years ago. They have also recreated a mine shaft such as was common in claims of that period.

About an hour's travel to the west of Baker City, is Hell's Canyon National Monument. If time allows, this is a very scenic trip.

The scenery along the route to Hell's Canyon is worth the trip to see. There is an interesting way of setting fence posts used in this area. The mountains to the west of Baker City are spectacular.

The Hell's Canyon Recreation Area is a beautiful place with an awesome gorge and lake. There is a campground as well as many undeveloped areas where camping is allowed. The road to the dam is not recommended for large RVs.

The recreation area is only in view of the upper part of the canyon, but is beautiful. There is a very nice, developed campground on the lake on the Idaho side. The lake fills the gorge, even though it is at the very top of the narrow part of the canyon.

The main road along the lake is on the Idaho side and can be accessed from the Oregon side via a steel bridge across the Snake River.

This origional Hell's Canyon has a small creek and is less then 20 feet wide. There are many small waterfalls on the walls of the canyon. You can see the lake dam from the visitor center, located below it.

The canyon sides are so steep and it is so deep that very little direct sun reaches to the lake at the bottom.

This is the visitor center that is located below the dam and at the far north end of the lake.