Traveling the Oregon Trail--part 1

Adapted from "Reading, Writing, & Riding along the Oregon-California Trails: An Educational Activity Book" by William E. Hill--excellent! abt grades 3-7, depending on the child's level and how much assistance is available.

     In your summer travels you might think about how people "in the olden days" took a journey, such as those pioneers who trekked the Oregon Trail long before the freeways of today.  You might want to check out Oregon Trail sites where you live, stop at sites near where you are vacationing, or even travel all or part of the trail such as it is today.  Scroll down to see sites along the trail I have been able to visit.
     Maybe you want your kids to learn a few lessons about life in the past, how it relates to themselves and the future.  Here are some tools for learning for folks of different ages and stages.

• Driving the Oregon Trail--5 videos, 4-8 min (perhaps not all equally interesting)   https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmiL9e_XPZnnXKMJBolok9WvjkM3INdFc
• 16 min video Fort Kearney https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDtdB9egh7c&ab_channel=LanceMosier
• 14 min video “Here’s What It Was Really Like to Pioneer on the Oregon Trail” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMMpHRHM0Ac&ab_channel=Grunge
• 1 hr video “The Story of the Oregon Trail” documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUPFR19YesM&ab_channel=Dr.RIPVHS
• https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/oregon_trail/#.YLlyuKhKiM8
• Life and Death on the Oregon Trail – End of the Oregon Trail   https://historicoregoncity.org/2019/04/03/life-and-death-on-the-oregon-trail/
• not a map but a rather disjointed discussion of the trails:     http://cbvtv.net/sioznhwf/695cb8-the-oregon-trail-map

southern portion of an Idaho state map

     I set out to explore as much of the Oregon Trail as I could manage.  My goal was to start from the California & OregonTrail Center at the border of Wyoming and Idaho, in Montpelier ID, then check out the Soda Springs area, and Fort Hall.  I just couldn't manage all that in our week in Boise, and the California & Oregon Trail Center isn't open til summer anyway.  I had a hard time finding out if there is anything about the Oregon Trail at present day Fort Hall, but at last I found some sites that mention it.  See below--

California & Oregon Trail Center, Montpelier ID 

• https://oregontrailcenter.org/
• 2.5 min video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJvvMJtXjQk&ab_channel=southeastidaho 

​Soda Springs

• https://www.nps.gov/oreg/planyourvisit/soda-springs-complex.htm
• http://historyglobe.com/ot/sodasprings.htm

Fort Hall has a history--present "Fort Hall" is an Indian Reservation--see the replica of old Fort Hall in nearby Pocatello

• http://www.forthall.net/
• http://historyglobe.com/ot/fthall.htm

American Forts in ID (note Fort Hall info in 4 parts) 

• https://www.northamericanforts.com/West/id.html

Explore the Oregon Trail in Idaho

• https://visitidaho.org/travel-tips/experience-the-oregon-trail-in-idaho/

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Photos of sites along the Oregon Trail I have been able to visit:
along the Snake River, the Columbia River, the Barlow Route overland, and the Applegate Trail in Southern OR

Shoshone Falls of the Snake River, Twin Falls ID--has info about the local Native Inhabitants and more;
Twin Falls and area info:  https://www.tfid.org/545/Play

Glenns Ferry ID-- https://www.glennsferryidaho.org/visitors/

Three Island Crossing State Park, ID near Glenns Ferry--the museum tells the stories with both sound & visuals

• https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/three-island-crossing/

 Bonneville Point Interpretive Site, overlooking Boise ID (day area, no services, take water & desert precautions)

• https://www.blm.gov/visit/bonneville-point
• https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=71837
• Oregon Trail Back Country Scenic Byway in Idaho | Visit Idaho, 2 min video   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KYnokZHSAA&ab_channel=VisitIdaho
• Oregon Trail Wagon Ruts at Bonneville Point, Idaho, 4 min video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1JsSACVoJo&ab_channel=J.DawgJourneys
• List of Historical Markers and War Memorials in Boise, Idaho ​https://www.hmdb.org/results.asp?Search=Place&Town=Boise&State=Idaho

Idaho State Museum, Boise ID-- https://history.idaho.gov/location/museum/

​Forts Boise, at Boise and Parma ID
     There were two Forts Boise, the older on the western border of Idaho kept getting flooded out, destroyed,  deteriorated.  Another Fort Boise was built in Boise, but it has not survived either.  Now in its space is a large park--I didn't see any marker or memorial there.  
​Old & New Fort Boise

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Boise

List of 61 Historical Markers and War Memorials in Boise, Idaho

• https://www.hmdb.org/results.asp?Search=Place&Town=Boise&State=Idaho

A replica of Old Fort Boise is in Parma ID; there's a family oriented day use park, and an RV park next to it.   

• https://www.cityofparma.org/

Parma has historic buildings, and one of the few remaining drive-in theaters 

• For more info & photos see https://www.travelpacificnw.com/accessible-travel-blog/boise-id
• and https://www.driveinmovie.com/id/parma/parma-drive-in/

For more info about Marie Dorion, scroll down to North Powder at   https://www.travelpacificnw.com/accessible-travel-blog/halfway-union-or-and-thereabouts

Rest Area at Ontario OR, I-84 (just over the border with ID)
     I didn't get the chance to check out the interpretive site of the Snake River Crossing at Nyssa OR, the interpretive site at Keeney Pass or Alkali Springs near Vale OR, or historical sites in Vale OR itself.  Perhaps another time.  But the rest area at Ontario has much to recommend it--though a welcoming center was closed when we were there (either for COVID or April is too early in the year).  This is the beginning of a great series of Oregon Trail pavilions at rest stops and such across Oregon.

Farewell Bend State Recreation Area, OR--26 mi northwest of Ontario OR
     At Farewell Bend the Snake River heads north and through Hells Canyon.  The Oregon Trail sought the Columbia River to the northwest, as it bends its way west from the north.  The Farewell Bend State Rec site says it offers accessible camping, cabins & yurts (pets ok), flush restrooms and showers, trails, fishing; dump station, boat ramp, and picnicking are not marked as accessible.

• https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=4
• for a few more photos, scroll down at https://www.travelpacificnw.com/accessible-travel-blog/snake-river-gorge-ous-canyons
  

​Grant's Getaways: The Oregon Trail

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTH6vgegzcc&ab_channel=oregon

       (covering Farewell Bend, The Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, Baker (Geiser Grand Hotel)

Weatherby Rest Area, 38 mi northwest of Ontario OR

• http://www.oregonrestareas.com/weatherby-rest-area-i84.html
• https://www.campendium.com/weatherby-rest-area
• Six OR Trail pavilion panels pictured and quoted in full at https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=108110

Durkee OR--50 mi northwest of Ontario OR (exit 327 from I-84, drive Durkee Rd to Hwy 30 and turn south)

• https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=108121

Baker City OR--about an hour and a quarter northwest of Ontario OR via I-84
     Oregon Trail sites in Baker City (exit 304):  Chamber of Commerce, York's Covered Wagon (food & supplies), Gaiser-Pollman Park, Baker Heritage Museum, and the Old Post Office Square Park . . . at least!  For more info and photos, see

• https://www.travelpacificnw.com/accessible-travel-blog/pendleton-la-grande-baker-city-or
• History of Baker City’s Old Post Office Square Park and more https://www.bakerlib.org/files/archive/dielman-essays/Old%20Post%20Office%20Square.pdf
• http://bakercity.com/2146/Community
• ​https://traveloregon.com/places-to-go/cities/baker-city/

National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, trail ruts access, and historic markers on the way
​--near Baker City OR; closed for COVID Memorial Weekend 2021, limited opening in 2020

• https://www.blm.gov/learn/interpretive-centers/national-historic-oregon-trail-interpretive-center
• https://www.blm.gov/visit/nhotic
• https://www.nps.gov/oreg/planyourvisit/national-oregon-trail-center.htm
• https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/national_historic_oregon_trail_interpretive_center/#.YPyy245KiM8

Baker Valley rest area, near the 45th Parallel, I-84 ten miles west of Baker City OR

• http://www.oregonrestareas.com/baker-valley-rest-area-east-i84.html

     It's time to stop and take a rest--we have traveled roughly 1700 or so miles from Missouri/Iowa.  Emigrants started their journey maybe May, when the trail was not so soggy and grass for feed had a good start. They got to Baker Valley maybe about August.  Only 300 or so miles left . . . but rough mountains lay ahead, and for those who rafted down the Columbia River--that was also rough going.  More to come in Part 2.