Oregon Trail Interpretive Center at Baker City, Oregon

We ended up where we spent the first night of this journey, in Pendleton, Oregon, at Wildhorse Casino RV Park.  This is a great RV park and for $26.75 per night (after the Good Sam discount) we have a 50 amp site, good free wifi, good satellite signal with local channels, and good Verizon cell signal.  The park has a shuttle to the casino or we can walk and get a little exercise.  This park offers us each a $2 coupon off the breakfast menu, or a continental breakfast of a bottle of juice and a Danish.  What a deal!  Did I mention that there is also a championship 18-hole golf course here? 

We are planning on eating dinner at the casino's buffet restaurant tonight--our last dinner out to celebrate the end of a successful, fun, safe trip.  Of course we are looking forward to getting home, but it's sad to have to end our time on the road.

It's breezy here at the park, and we had a lot of wind during the drive today, as well as rain and (gasp!) snow.  Yes, that's snow on our windshield and along the side of the road.  Welcome to Oregon!  This was when we were crossing the Blue Mountains on I-84 west between Baker City and La Grande, OR.

We planned today's leg of the journey so that we could stop in Baker City, OR, at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center.  This is a fabulous place, and yes, it was open today and is open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's.  Even better, we got in free by using our Federal Interagency Passes, which saved us $16.  Click here to read more about the interpretive center.

As the brochure says, this interpretive center presents America's frontier heritage as told through the lives of pioneers, mountain men, exploreres, miners, and Native Americans.  The natural history and geology of eastern Oregon are also displayed.  The Center includes 500 acres of indoor and outdoor facilities and exhibits.  You can hike to the Oregen Trail ruts carved by pioneer wagons, or view them through the picture windows. 

We last visited this museum 15 years ago and we loved it then, too.  We hoped it hadn't gone downhill since then, and we were happy that it was still the wonderful museum that we remembered.  It's a great place to take children as there are many interactive parts of the museum.  But it's very interesting for adults, also.  Tableaus of each phase of the Oregon Trail experience are presented, with audio an audio story of each scene.  It's very well done.  I could have stayed at the museum all day!

One of the most touching scenes shows a mother lamenting the death of her child along the trail.

We have visited the Interpretive Center at Oregon City, OR, and believe me, the Baker City Interpretive Center is far superior and is worth the drive east to Baker City.  Don't miss this museum!

From Brigham City, Utah to Caldwell, Idaho

I-84 Westbound in Idaho

After yesterday's rain, today was sunny and warm.  We left Brigham City a little before 9 am and arrived in Caldwell, Idaho, at 4:20 pm.  On the way, we stopped in Glenns Ferry, Idaho to tour an Oregon Trail Museum, but alas, the museum was closed on Wednesdays, so we didn't get to tour it.  It was located at Three Islands State Park, which offered water and electric hookups and looked like a great park for camping.  It was a beautiful setting right on the Snake River.  Sprinklers were running which kept the park green. 

Glenns Ferry, Idaho

Oregon Trail pioneers knew this spot well. It was one of the most famous river crossings on the historic trail. Pioneer travelers used the three-island crossing until 1869, when Gus Glenn constructed a ferry about two miles upstream. Click here for more information about this museum and the state park.

The Snake River in Glenns Ferry, Idaho. 

The Glenns Ferry water tower was located near the Snake River.

Tonight we are staying at Ambassador RV Park in Caldwell, Idaho.  It's a great new park with wide gravel sites which each have a concrete patio and a patch of grass at each site.  The streets of the park are wide and made for big rigs.  The park has a heated swimming pool and spa, playground, exercise room, and a lounge area where they offer free coffee and muffins in the morning.  Free Tengo wifi internet is included in the price.  We paid $31 after the Good Sam discount. 

Site 106--Home sweet home for tonight.