Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area

Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area - Baker City, OR

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Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area

GPS Coordinates: Unknown

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Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area is at the base of the granite peaks of the Elkhorn Mountain Range. The Powder River is born deep within the range and picks up speed as it spills down the Sumpter Valley, traveling through the park before reaching Phillips Reservoir. This waterway was the vein of life during the boom days of the gold rush. The landscape still bears the scars. Miles of tailings line the banks of the river, a remembrance from the prosperous days of mining. The Sumpter Valley Dredge -- the centerpiece of our park -- left much of the rocky footprint that you'll see on your trek along Highway 7. The dredge is an important link to Oregon's pioneering past and development. It is one of the largest and most accessible gold dredges in the U.S. A half a century after the last dripping bucket load was lifted, the dredge stands silent. If you listen carefully, you can almost hear whispers of the hope, sweat and dreams of the people who worked on it. The dredge in the park is the last of three built on the Powder River. Built in 1935, it ran until 1954. It dug up more than four million dollars worth by a simple, but dramatic method. Sticking out from the dredge's hull is a massive boom bearing 72 1-ton buckets. The buckets, moving like the chain of a chainsaw, would bore into the riverbank and carry the loose rock back into the dredge interior. Once inside, the rock would pass through a series of steel cylinders to separate the material by size, sending the smaller material deeper into the dredge. Using water and sluices, the gold would be separated from the sediment.

Facilities: Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area does not provide facilities.

Best Time To Visit: Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area trail is open year round, but the dredge itself is closed during the winter.

Fees: No fees are charged.

Accessibility: Handicap accessibility is not provided.

Rules: Unknown

Directions: To reach Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area from Baker City start out going south on 3rd St toward Auburn Ave. for 0.1 miles. Turn left onto Auburn Ave. for 0.1 miles. Turn right onto OR-7. Continue to follow OR-7 for 25.7 miles. Turn right onto OR-220. Continue to follow OR-220 for 3.0 miles. Turn right onto E Auburn St. for 0.1 miles. End at Sumpter.

Map: Click here for a map to Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area

Reservations: Reservations are not accepted for Sumpter Valley Dredge State Heritage Area.

Address

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

725 Summer Street NE, Suite C

Salem, Oregon 97301

Phone
General: (800) 551-6949

Website