Just a few miles before the potentially difficult crossing of the Deschutes River, Pioneers – also known as Overlanders – got their first glance of the mighty Columbia River.  A little over 1900 miles lay between Independence and Oregon City, the beginning and terminus of the Oregon Trail.  Until 1846, the end of contiguous overland journey was not at Oregon City. The end of the wagon journey ended at Wascopam Mission. The mission would later give rise to the town of The Dalles, milepost 1819.

CROSSING THE JOHN DAY RIVER

With the ease of powering along I-84 today, it is easy to forget how difficult traveling by wagon was along the Columbia River. Huge cliffs extended to the river then – the freeway did not come until 1960’s. The Overlanders found it much easier to stay up on the Columbia Plateau some miles south of the river. The Plateau, relatively level, was punctuated only by Willow Creek, the John Day and the Deschutes Rivers.

McDonald’s Crossing over the John Day River was the beginning of the end of the long journey.  It lay a little over ten miles from Willow Creek to the east.  Willow Creek was only the second water travelers could find for thirty miles after crossing the Umatilla River at the frame house making up Fort Henrietta – today’s town of Echo – built up during the Cayuse War.

By now, the season was getting late for most pioneers – September or October.  The river was low with the riverbed rolled stones and 8-12 inch depth meaning the crossing could be made fairly easily.  The crossing is far off the beaten path today.  A gravel road descends to the river from the west.  A sign warns the road is “Primitive”.  Warning taken, but the road is a decent gravel road easily managed – except in bad weather.  Near the bottom is a monument describing the crossing and the effort needed by the overlanders to continue their journey.

DECiSION TIME

After the late 1840’s, it also became a decision point or sorts.  If money was a factor, a shortcut arose from here to connect with the new Barlow Trail circumventing the expensive option of floating wagons and goods down through the Columbia River Gorge.  Taking the trail from the crossing to the left – Rocky Ravine route which is basically the same as the route taken by the gravel road – went up the Grass Valley canyon and onto a dangerous crossing of the Deschutes River just downstream of Sherar’s Falls.

Rocky Ravine route runs to left of hill, up which the road – McDonald’s Ferry Road – to west runs today.

To the right, used by most, was a route straight up the hill onto the dry plateau above.  “We ascended one of the most difficult hills we have met on the whole weary journey across the plains.   One huge rock after another blocked the road, making it almost impassable.  We spent just two hours ascending it …” Esther Belle McMillan Hanna 3 September 1852.

The hill appears to be on private property.  You can access the crossing – ask first of the owner at the bottom of the road. To see the old wagon ruts, you need to resort to Google Maps. Here you can still see ruts going straight up the hill with some further to the right both routes meeting up on top.  Atop the plateau, many ruts heading off to the west where they are obliterated by wheat and wind farms.

ACROSS SHERMAN COUNTY

From the John Day crossing to the Deschutes River was almost thirty miles.  Most of that route is obliterated by the wheat and wind farms of Sherman County today.  The one true water source was located ten miles above the John Day crossing at Emigrant Springs.  Again, you have to observe from Google as the area is private land.

The trail made its way from here across the plateau crossing highway 97 a little to the north of Wasco.  Staying out of the Spanish Hollow Gulch, the trail continued northwest on the plateau.  The Trail afforded Overlanders their first view of the Columbia River about twenty miles west of McDonald’s Crossing.

BIGGS ARCH – END OF THE OREGON TRAIL IS NEAR

Near a small basaltic arch, Biggs Arch, the trail dropped off the plateau down to the river below. The arch is several hundred feet to the east of where the trail drops down, about a third of the way up the cliffs from the freeway below. Again, the problem of private property arises. Wagon ruts can be seen from the Google view. One has to think cattle in the interceding century and a half had something to do with deepening those pathways.  The Trail then followed the river for a couple of miles past Fulton Canyon before reaching the Deschutes River.

DESCHUTES CROSSING

The Deschutes Crossing was more serious than the John Day.  The current was strong. Fed by snows of the Cascades, there was more water in the river, even late in the season.  Emigrants usually resorted to ferrying – helped for a fee from local Native Americans – across the river.  In the 1850’s, an expensive ferry service operated with a toll bridge was in service by 1864.

FAIRBANKS GAP TO END OF OVERLAND TRAIL – FINAL MILES OF THE OREGON TRAIL

Leaving the Deschutes meant another rocky hill to ascend – the Columbia’s cliffs to severe to trail along with a wagon.  The Trail ascended to a shelf above the river. A few miles further, it pushed south through the Fairbanks Gap, descending along or near Fifteen Mile Creek into The Dalles.

From The Dalles, after 1846, overlanders had one more chance to opt for the Barlow Trail. cheaper without the dangers of drowning in the Cascade Rapids.  The Barlow Trail had its own problems.

The River Route consisted of an 83-mile journey downriver to Fort Vancouver. Another 11 miles would get them up the Willamette to Portland.  Boats could be bought or made from the nearby pine forests.  Small steamboats eventually served the river as well. 

James Nesmith, 1843 – “Then it may be asked why did such men peril everything …exposing their helpless families to the possibilities of massacre and starvation, braving death – and for what purpose? I am not quite certain that any rational answer will ever be given to that question.”

Nesmith was a prominent pioneer who became an Oregon senator with serving through the Civil War.