Difficulty: Easy
Length: Varies (multiple trails available)
Elevation Gain: Varies
Season: Open Year-Round. Trails may have snow December-February
Location: Sumpter, OR (15 minutes from Baker City, OR)
Notes: No shade, so best to enjoy early in the day or in the spring/fall.
Learn some history as you hike with a trip to the Oregon Trail! The Interpretive Center is fantastic, so I highly recommend combining a visit with your hike.
It can get very hot, so it's a great place to visit in the spring/fall when the mountain trails are snow-packed. We visited in March and it was perfect! You can park down below the interpretive center at the marked Ruts Access Trail and walk along the Oregon Trail ruts and up to the Interpretive Center or you can start at the Center and work your way down.
There are beautiful views of the Elkhorn Mountain range from the trail. The Oregon trail ruts are obviously not paved, but many of the trails from the Interpretive are paved, so you could bring a stroller or wheelchair.
Make sure you check-out the old wagons along the trail and there's several by the Interpretative Center as well.
Getting there: From Baker City, head East on OR-86/Cedar St. for 7 miles and the Interpretive Center will be on your left. From I-84 it's exit 302.