This stop on your journey takes you back in time to the days when gold mining was an important industry in Eastern Oregon. The gold was collected with a 1240-ton gold dredge, which extracted ore from the alluvial gravels in the valley of the Blue Mountains from the 1930s to the mid-1950s. Similar to those that operated in the John Day Valley, these dredges created their own temporary lakes as they transformed landscapes and churned up the gravels of the valley floor. You can still see long piles of gravel tailings south of State Route 7. In addition to viewing the restored dredge, you can ride the original narrow gauge steam train of the renamed Sumpter Valley Railway from Memorial Day through September and enjoy the amenities of the Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area, which include trails, picnicking sites, interpretive displays, special events and more.