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Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area, Sumpter, OR

Photo: Byrnstar, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sightseeing

Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area

A preserved 1935 gold dredge and wetland trails at the foot of the Elkhorn Mountains in eastern Oregon.

Sumpter, OR

About Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area

This state heritage area centers on a large gold-mining dredge that worked the Sumpter Valley for decades. Visitors can walk the decks on their own or join a ranger-led tour, which runs on weekends. Roughly 1.5 miles of trails cross the wetlands, with viewing platforms showing how the valley's land has recovered since mining ended. The site is also a stop on the Elkhorn Drive Scenic Byway.

  • #gold dredge
  • #mining history
  • #wetlands
  • #hiking trails
  • #ranger-led tours

What's around here?

The closest stops to Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Stay
    Outdoor Adventure

    Mtn. View RV Park

    $50+

    Family-run full-service RV resort in Baker City since 1959, with pull-through big-rig sites, a hot tub and general store, at I-84 exit 304 on the Oregon Trail.

    Transit: reachable by public transit

    18 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay

  • Tours
    History Buff

    Sumpter Valley Railroad

    $25–$50

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    Transit: reachable by public transit

    18 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Stay
    History Buff

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    $50+

    Restored 1889 Victorian hotel in downtown Baker City, Oregon, known for its stained glass ceiling.

    Transit: reachable by public transit

    19 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

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    No admission fee

    The destination marketing organization and visitor center for Baker County in northeast Oregon's Gold Rush and Oregon Trail country.

    Transit: reachable by public transit

    19 mi awayMore like this

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    Eastern Oregon

    No admission fee

    Regional tourism organization for the eleven counties of eastern Oregon.

    Transit: reachable by public transit

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    Local Gem

    Union County

    No admission fee

    Chamber-run visitor guide to Union County's small towns, outdoor recreation, and the La Grande hub.

    Transit: reachable by public transit

    41 mi awayMore like this