Oregon through the Ages: Columbia River Gorge and Eastern Oregon Road Trip
By: Kiraney Cummins
August 30th, 2013
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Kiraney Cummins
Oregon through the Ages: Columbia River Gorge and Eastern Oregon Road Trip

Oregon may be one of the youngest states, but its story begins far before its statehood. To explore the history of Oregon, from almost 40 million years ago up until the present day, take a journey through time while exploring some of Oregon’s historic cities and geologic landmarks.

About Leif’s Summer Roadtrip Series

This summer we will publish a series of articles that combine two of my greatest passions; cars and the Pacific Northwest.

Should you decide to try one or a few of the overnight trips we’ll present, you and your travel companions will enjoy The Area’s less widely known but truly iconic scenery and experiences en route to your destination.

If you find these articles valuable or have suggestions for new ideas or improvements, we would love to hear from you. Please email us at webmail@leifs.com.

– Leif

On this road trip through the Columbia River Gorge and into Eastern Oregon you’ll have the opportunity to visit sites where prehistoric fossils have been uncovered and view geologic formations created over millions of years. You can also explore the history of Oregon’s people by learning about the roots of many Native American tribes, discovering what the Corps of Discovery, led by Lewis and Clark, found on their journey westward, and imagining what it was like to live in the Old West in several of Oregon’s Gold Rush-era towns. Total driving time for this road trip is 5 hours and 24 minutes (263 miles) on the way out, so to truly explore Oregon’s past, this road trip is best done over three to four days, or even a week.

The Route: The Dalles, Shaniko, Fossil, John Day Fossil Beds

The Drive
If leaving from the Portland metro area, you’ll follow Interstate 84 out of town and through the towering walls of the Columbia River Gorge to The Dalles about 1 hour and 27 minutes (83 miles) from the city. Not far before you reach The Dalles, get set for a change of scenery as the close, craggy walls of the gorge open up to barren, sand-colored slopes and wide open views in every direction. After stopping in The Dalles, you’ll enjoy a short stretch on I-84 before taking US-97 south to the town of Shaniko, about 1 hour and 25 minutes (76 miles) away. From Shaniko, head east to the town of Fossil just 1 hour and 8 minutes (42 miles) on OR-218. Stay the night in Fossil, or journey onward to the John Day Fossil Beds, 1 hour and 24 minutes (61 miles) south, on OR-19. Along the way you’ll travel through rolling wind-turbine-topped hills, follow a section of the meandering John Day River and pass through the tiny town of Spray.

The Dalles Art Center. Jgilhousen, 2006-11-22.

The shortest route back to the Portland metro area will have you home in just over 4 hours and 20 minutes (234 miles) traveling back along the John Day River, north from Fossil directly to The Dalles, and back through the scenic Columbia River Gorge. If you aren’t in a rush and plan to add a few days to your trip, travel back through Madras, about 2 hours and 15 minutes (109 miles) away, and over Mt. Hood for a 4 hour and 30 minutes (228 miles) return journey from the John Day Fossil Beds. You can also extend your loop eastward to visit Sumpter and Baker City, through Pendleton before following I-84 back to Portland, a total of 7 hours (406 miles) from the fossil beds through Pendleton and back to Portland.

The Dalles

Begin your tour of Oregon’s past in The Dalles, a city that straddles both sides of the spectrum of history, from its origins as a Native American trading center, more than 10,000 years ago, to its more recent history as a prominent point in Lewis and Clark’s journey with the Corps of Discovery just 200 years ago.

Fort Dalles Museum: Oregon’s oldest history museum, built in 1856, is on the site of Fort Dalles, a former U.S. military outpost used chiefly for matters with Native Americans before Oregon became a state. The museum is housed in the surgeon’s quarters, a National Historic Place designed in Gothic Revival style, and features exhibits and artifacts relating to pioneer history.

Pulpit Rock: This landmark, in the middle of a city intersection, marks the spot where Methodist missionaries used to preach to Native Americans.

Historic Homes: The Fulton-Taylor House, Rodrick House, Anderson Homestead and many other homes date to the mid-to-late-19th-century.

Historic Commercial District: Explore downtown The Dalles to view buildings from the late 19th and early 20th century and many murals depicting historic events.

Rock Fort: Along the Columbia River this historic camp is where Lewis and Clark camped on their journeys to and from the Pacific Ocean.

Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Wasco County Historical Museum: Learn about the natural history of the region from the Missoula Ice Age Floods, through Native American habitation, to the pioneer’s arrival and development. At the Wasco County Museum view photographs and artifacts documenting the more recent history of the area.

Shaniko

Street buildings – Shaniko Oregon. Werewombat, 2 May 2009.

Stop for a few hours to tour Oregon’s most legendary ghost town, Shaniko. A once Gold Rush town Shaniko served as a major hub on the Columbia Southern Railway, before another rail line diverted traffic and a devastating flood virtually destroyed the remaining line and led to the city’s abandonment, although a few citizens live there today.

Shaniko Historic District: Tour this area to view the jailhouse, schoolhouse, city hall, constable’ s office, firehouse, church, and other buildings.

Shaniko Hotel and Cafe: Dine in this brick hotel from 1901.

Other structures: Snap a picture at restored and historic sites like the water tower, laundry stand, jail wagon, or even an historic outhouse.

Fossil

Spend some time touring Fossil a historic town where you can dig for fossils and learn about its heyday in the early 20th century.

Dig for fossils: Behind Wheeler High School you’ll find the only public fossil field in the country. Visit the interpretive center and dig for up to three fossils.

Oregon Paleolands Institute: This educational center features exhibits about the region’s geological and paleontological history. You can also book a tour, hike, or workshop with the institute to explore the surrounding region.

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

Clarno palisades, John Day Fossil Beds. NPS Photo.

For a look at an era of Oregon’s earliest known history, head to the John Day Fossil Beds where millions of years of geologic and biologic history are recorded in stone in the fossilized remains and geologic patterns that dot the landscape. Visit the three units of the monument over one jam-packed day, or over two leisurely days, to learn about Oregon through the earliest ages.
The Clarno Unit: Near the town of Fossil you’ll find the Palisades, tall rocky peaks, and the fossils of plants and animals from when the area was once a tropical rainforest.

The Painted Hills Unit: One of the most beautiful landscapes on the planet is the undulating colorful hills of this region, a photographer’s paradise, especially in the late afternoon light.

The Sheep Rock Unit: View fossils from all three units here at the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center, explore hiking trails, view the blue-green layers of rock that reveal millions of years of volcanic ash, and see the historic Cant Ranch from the 1930s.

Extend Your Trip

Turn a long-weekend into a weeklong road trip and head further east or west towards Central Oregon to explore other sites and cities that have captured a moment in Oregon’s long history.

Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site: Explore the late 19th and early 20th century history of one aspect of Oregon’s past by visiting this historic building and museum in John Day, which was a Chinese apothecary and general store in the late 1800s and was once the third largest China town in the country.

Sumpter: This historic town, considered a ghost town by some, was once a major gold dredge mining center and evidence remains of its past today including the restored dredge. You can also visit the narrow gauge steam train of the Sumpter Valley Railway and go on a train ride to Baker City during the summer through September.

Warm Springs: Head back west on your way home and stop by the Warm Springs Indian Reservation to visit the Museum at Warm Springs, an award-winning collection of artifacts of the Three Confederated Tribes with many multi-media exhibits and demonstrations from tribal members.

Madras: View the changing landscapes of the high desert as you head up towards Mount Hood, but first stop in Madras at the Jefferson County Historical Society to learn about the stories of the native tribes and the population of Jefferson County. You’ll also find early 20th century buildings including the Old County Courthouse (where the museum is housed), a 1914 homestead, and a few other historic homes throughout the city.

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