1.
Farewell Columbia
The Journey begins in the town of Biggs, 17 miles east of The Dalles on I-84. From this traditional Native American salmon-harvesting site on the banks of the Columbia River, travel south on U. S. Route 97. In nearby Wasco, the original Columbia Southern Railway depot (1898) still stands. And in Moro, the Sherman County Historical Museum explains the significance of the Oregon Trail, including the cut-off to the Barlow Road, the journey's home stretch. U. S. Route 97 closely follows the cut-off route down to Grass Valley.
2.
Ghosts of the 1980s
Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson dominate the horizon as you head into Shaniko, a ghost town known as the Wool Shipping Center of the World in the 1880s. Services are still available at the historic Shaniko Hotel and other sites. From here, take Oregon Route 218 to Antelope. The hills around here are a habitat for the town's prong-horned namesake and used to be home of the Rajneesh, a massive religious commune that flourished and quickly disbanded in the early 1980s.
3.
Fossil and Fossils
Set your clock back to 40 million, B.C. at the Clarno Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. Interpretive trails feature startling evidence of prehistoric creatures. Study them at the museum in Fossil or dig for them at public fossil beds.
4.
Rolling on the River
From Fossil, head south on Oregon Route 19 to Service Creek, a 1918 stage stop that still offers service to visitors. Then meander along the John Day River, where you'll find some of Oregon's finest camping, fishing, canoeing and rafting spots. Three forks merge near the town of Kimberly. Continuing south, check out Blue Basin, a 29-million-year-old section of the National Monument. Interpretive trails guide you through incredible blue-green canyons. The monument's Visitors Center is nearby at the old Cant Ranch.
5.
Day by Day
Just beyond the Sheep Rock Overlook, the Byway follows the river east along U. S. Route 26. At Picture Gorge, ancient Indian pictographs mark the rock wall above the river. Not far away is Dayville, a horse racing mecca around the turn of the century. At Mt. Vernon, U. S. Route 26 and U. S. Route 395 join for a short ride into the town of John Day, named for an early Oregon explorer. The Kam Wah Chung Museum here is acclaimed for its representations of life through the eyes of 19th-century Chinese immigrants.
6.
Into the Blues
Cattle ranches helped establish Prairie City as a major shipping point. The DeWitt Depot Museum here is on the National Register of Historic Places. From here, the highway catches a spectacular view of the Strawberry Mountain Range before reaching the stage stop of Austin. Here, the Journey follows Oregon Route 7 through the Blue Mountain ghost town of Whitney.
7.
Sumpter to Baker City
Near the town of Sumpter, the Journey Through Time route follows the Elkhorn Drive Scenic Byway (see page 23) down to Baker City. An appropriate place to end your journey is nearby at the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center.
For more information, contact the Grant County Chamber of Commerce at 541-575-0547.