Oregon on the Oregon Trail

The Oregon Trail was a wagon route used by early pioneers to settle in the area today known as the Pacific Northwest.  Back then the Oregon Territory, which included the state of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, part of Montana, and even part of Canadian province of British Columbia, was only a hunting ground for fur trappers and Native Americans who inhabited in the area for thousands of years.  Ever since the Lewis and Clark Expedition, many decided to migrate to this very little known region for a better life not only for themselves, but also generations of people who came after them.

Mural portraying early Oregon pioneers on an apartment building in Portland, Oregon, the trail's western terminus

Oregon Trail / Interstate 84 near the Oregon-Idaho border

Most sections of Interstate 84 in the state of Oregon falls onto the Historic Oregon Trail. Upon leaving the Treasure Valley in Idaho, the Interstate 84 enters the mountain. Once crossing the border into Oregon, the first major settlement on the trail is Baker City.  The city, although with only 9,000 residents, was once the largest city between Salt Lake City and Portland. Baker City was, and still is, an important transportation hub for those traveling on the Oregon Trail. Early 1900s were the town’s booming era when saloons, hotels, and mansions were built around the city. The Geiser Grand Hotel was the third hotel to ever install an elevator west of Mississippi back in the days. Nicknamed “the Queen of the Mines”, this hotel built in the Gold Rush era is a great example of Victorian architecture. The hotel is rumored to be haunted, and there is even a public tour everyone can take inside the hotel for hunting down ghosts!

Downtown Baker City

The Historic Geiser Grand Hotel

One of many mansions found around Baker City from the old glory days

Once passed Baker City the sceneries along the Interstate 84 becomes almost like untamed. Eastern Oregon is known for its uninhabitable deserts and harsh conditions, with some of these features even recorded by the early pioneers. When Interstate 84 reaches Cabbage Hill, the highway suddenly plunges towards the open plain that extends as far as the eye can see. The early pioneers even gave a name to the passage of sudden plunge: Deadman Pass. Like its name suggests, Deadman Pass remains one of the most dangerous sections of American highways.  Yet Interstate 84 is one of the main East – West bound roadways for logistics, which means giant trucks have to either climb or go down the 6% degree slope – in hairpin style. Imagine 200 years ago it was the wagons that had to go through the Deadman Pass, traveling on a slope that was much rougher and steeper.

Cabbage Hill section of Interstate 84

An observation deck near the Deadman Pass

Interstate 84 near the Deadman Pass

At the bottom of the Cabbage Hill on the plains is the city of Pendleton, Oregon. Pendleton is famous for the world renowned Pendleton Woolen Mills.  Today Pendleton products can be found across the globe. Pendleton blankets are known for their collector grade craftsmanship and Native American inspired designs. It is hard to imagine that a renowned brand that’s been sold in more than 70 countries can trace its roots to a small, humble town in the wilderness of Eastern Oregon.

The plains of Eastern Oregon

A grain silo on the Eastern Oregon Plain

The Pendleton Woolen Mills in Pendleton, Oregon

Continue on Interstate 84 the Oregon Trail hits the Columbia River. It may appear that the trail has made a huge north bound detour once it enters Oregon. The real significance, however, is that by traveling along the Columbia River the early pioneers avoided climbing over the strenuous Cascade mountain range which goes from Canada down to Mexico. The river valley offers early pioneers relatively flat and gentle paths to walk on and to obtain necessities such as water and food. 

River valleys provide relatively flat land people can travel on. That's why the Historic Oregon Trail and the modern Interstate 84 run along the Columbia River Gorge as depicted in this picture

The Scenic Columbia River Gorge

The mighty Columbia River traverses from its source in the Canadian Rockies to the West Coast of the North American continent where it flows into the Pacific Ocean. Along the Oregon Trail towards Portland, Oregon’s largest city there were giant cliffs formed by thousands of years of corrosion. The magnificent sceneries of the Columbia River Gorge has pushed the highway built along the trail near the river (now part of Interstate 84) America’s very first scenic highway. One of Oregon’s icons, the Multnomah Falls, dropping down from 620 feet above, making the site one of the most visited places in the state.

The Multnomah Falls

Upper section of the Multnomah Falls

The top of Multnomah Falls

The Multnomah Falls are just some of many waterfalls found in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. In the nearby Oneonta Gorge, there are as many as five waterfalls hidden in a vertical and small world of mosses and trees. It is not hard to notice that the gorge area receives plenty of rainfall, which explains why the niche is so unique in the gorge area in compare to the rest of Oregon. 

A Waterfall in the Oneonta Gorge

A Waterfall in the Oneonta Gorge

The Interstate 84 eventually leads to the terminus of the Historic Oregon Trail: Portland. Known for its craft beer and running shoes (Nike), the Portland metropolitan area is home to more than 2 million people. The city is considered one of the most forward thinking places in the United States of America. Rooftop gardens, bike lanes, and even a gondola for public transportation purposes are among some of the interesting things people can easily spot in Portland. While the old Portland still kept some of the charms from the Pioneer Era, it is the new Portland that makes the city and its people truly unique.

An old skyscraper and a new skyscraper in Downtown Portland juxtaposing with each other

Downtown Portland

Portland did not get its name for no reason. Because of its easy access to the Pacific Ocean, yet far enough from the ocean to get any corrosion from the salty air and strong wind, Portland became a major logistic hub for materials such as wood and metal as well as products like paper and automobiles.

Portland's Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

Portland has many bridges like this one that links the two sides of the Columbia River

The Oregon Trail goes like a timeline of the history of Western United States. It started out in East Oregon as no man’s land (to be more precise, only scarcely populated by Native Americans and early trappers) – untamed and wild. In the next stage trading posts and settlements like Baker City began to pop up, supplying the pioneers and those who crave for shelter in the wilderness. When people began to realize the land became more and more suitable for maintaining life and performing economic activities as they travel further west, towns like Pendleton were built as population centers and trading centers with Native Americans. As the trail goes further and further west, the land becomes more and more valuable to settlers economically: the exploitation of the resources took place, some conservation efforts also followed. In the final stage, it’s the modern thoughts and skyscrapers that dominate the skyline of some of America’s major cities. Maybe people have already forgotten or don’t even know about the pioneer days, the time when folks back in the days had to live harsh lives and build everything from scratch. What hasn’t been lost is the vision of the future hold by both the old timer Oregonians and the new Oregonians, that there will always be a better world tomorrow, no matter how hard and disappointing it is today.

Downtown Portland