• Begin with a hearty breakfast at one of the fine eating establishments in Baker City. Mornings are a good time to put on walking shoes and follow the tour of Historic Baker City. With over 110 homes and buildings on the National Historic Register, it will take a bit of time to meet the gold miners, some schemers, and the society women of the town’s past. The Adler House Museum offers guided tours of the 1880s home, and the Oregon Trail Regional Museum holds the region’s history and a spectacular rock collection valued at one-half million dollars.
Anthony Lakes, Photo by Rod Koopman
• When leaving Baker City, take Hwy. 30 to Haines and stop by the Eastern Oregon Museum for a wonderful look at the “real-life” pieces of history from the families within the Baker Valley. Next, follow the Elkhorn Scenic Byway, departing Haines on the Anthony Lakes Highway up the side of the Blue Mountains. A stop at any one of the high mountain lakes within the Anthony Lakes system is a must. These granite mountains were pushed up and then carved over millions of years by glaciers, wind, rain, and ice. Today they are home to Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort (541-856-3277), for wintertime activities from skiing to snowmobiling. In the summer and fall the quiet lake is a great place for hiking, fishing, camping and enjoying the majesty of the surrounding peaks.
Guardian of the Valley
In the afternoon sun of the Baker Valley in spring and winter, there appears a portrait of an old Indian in the peaks of the Elkhorn Mountains. It is a huge shadow, looking down upon all activities below. Legend has it that this was a very spiritual place and the Guardian of the Valley foretold the seasons; the time to return to dig roots and the time to leave to prepare for winter. He watches over the valley still.
• Continue the byway down the western side of the spine of the Elkhorn ridge toward Granite. The work of Mother Nature is apparent here, where recovery is under way after recent forest fires left their mark on the land. In Granite, take a moment to drive or walk through this once-bustling mining town. Many of the 1880- to early-1900 buildings, homes, and businesses are well marked with their past occupation. Check out the Granite Store for a snack or lunch.
• The large piles of rock along the creek bed on the route to Sumpter begin the story of dredge mining in the area. The huge floating machine literally ate its way up streams, searching for the treasure of gold. The Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area (1-800-551-6949 or 541-894-2486) offers a guided tour through the gold-hungry monster and is located at the edge of the little town of Sumpter. Take some time to explore Sumpter’s antique shops, galleries featuring local artists, restaurants, and lodging establishments. This community hosts the region’s most popular flea markets on Memorial Day, July Fourth, and Labor Day weekends.
• Just past Sumpter, the highway merges with Hwy. 7. Turn toward Baker City. The last stop of the day will be a trip on the Stumpdodger—The Sumpter Valley Railroad (541-894-2268). This narrow-gauge, steam-powered railroad provided freight and passenger transportation to early miners, loggers, and cattlemen from Prairie City to Baker City, over some of the area’s most rugged terrain.
