In the rush, mining towns popped up here and there, only to be left to ruin as the mining dwindled. In the mid and late 1800s, the North Fork John Day drainage was bustling with gold and silver mining. The climb in total is 1200 feet of gain, with moderate gradients of 4 to 5%. From here the terrain is relatively flat with a few scattered homesites until mile 32 where you re-enter the national forest and the road pitches up. Pop into the Dredge at the end for a quick tour which should help inspire you to email your boss and say you aren’t coming back to work.ĭo this route for the mining history, lush high alpine forests, big red ponderosa trees, and creeks. To inspire you to quit your day job for your hand at gold mining, you’ll see signs along the route where people have posted their claim to the gold. You’ll also visit “the town” of Granite, then your final climb sets you up for the blasting downhill into Sumpter, with beautiful views of the whole area. This route is a wonderful combo wandering through the woods on rugged gravel roads, past lush high alpine meadows taking you through the first two climbs and then onto a paved road that is the divider for the river and the settling ponds (which are a psychedelic orange color and are part of the cleanup process from gold mining). Wanna get lucky? Head back to the great 1890 Gold Rush, starting at the Dredge, a huge boat that seems oddly misplaced in the middle of Oregon in the gritty town of Sumpter. You will also see first hand efforts to clean up the harmful impacts of mining. A dredge, a historic pumphouse, a ghost town and active working mining claims.
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