Oregon Trail Interpretive Center

Sitting on a hill east of Baker City, not far from the turnoff for Ruckles Creek Road, sits an interpretive center describing the Oregon Trail experience. Unfortunately, it was close during our visit due to covid. Nevertheless, we could visit the outside area and see some of the wagons people traveled in as well as appreciate the view from atop this hill.

Baker City is located in a broad valley between the Elkhorn Mountains (seen in the image below) and the Wallowa Mountains to the east (behind me). The town is hidden by the hill to the left. This is cattle country.

I am suspicious that no one ever really pained their covered wagon this particular color of blue, but it does appear to be the real thing.

Looking east, we can the Wallowas Mountains in the far distance on the left beyond the closer hills. These closer hills are the ones seen in the background in the photos taken along Ruckles Creek Road.

The panorama below is of the same scene looking west ward as above but it includes more of the valley. The place looks dry (it is, at least at the moment) and scrubby, but it clearly has enough water and grass to produce plenty of cattle.