Vacation trip to Portland, OR,
 

I am a Japanese tourist who plans to visit historic sites of Oregon Trail in this August connected with my hobby; research of American history in 1800s.

I am annoyed to find access to Oregon Trail Interpretive Center Baker
City, OR by the public transit from Portland, or guided tour bus, since I have
no means to drive a private car in the U.S.
http://www.blm.gov/or/oregontrail/

I welcome information and recommendations for other venues about this trip.

Kunio

Hello Kunio,

I visited Portland Oregon last year without a car. Be warned that public transport in the US is not as extensive as in other countries. The city itself is manageable without a car and certain nearby natural attractions such as Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge are accessible by tour van or tour bus, I didn't notice any way of getting to the Oregon Trail.

The International Rose Test Garden in Portland is excellent; I enjoyed the Portland Art Museum and the Japanese Garden as well. The $49 Gray Line tour to the Columbia River Gorge was informative and showed off some of the gorge's gorgeous highlights.

Have a great trip! Daniel

You can visit the end o f the Oregon Trail in Oregon City, a place to which I believe you will find public transportation from Portland.

Perhaps this virtual tour will help: http://www.historyglobe.com/websites.html

A few weeks ago we were at Whitman Mission National Historic Site in Walla Walla, WA, and walked on a short stretch of the Oregon Trail.

HTtY

There is an "End of the Oregon Trail" museum in Oregon City which is accessable by the TriMet public transportation system of Portland. http://www.historicoregoncity.org/
I fear that you would be disappointed if you did manage to get all the way to Baker City.
Baker City is closer to Boise Idaho than to Portland.
Take a tour and see the waterfalls and the Columbia Gorge.

I agree with tomfuller that the trip to Baker City for the sole purpose of visiting the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is likely to be a big let down. From the center you can see trail tracks way off in the distance--down a steep hill.

The reason we go to that part of Oregon is to visit the beautiful Wallowa Mountains.

HTtY

Thank everybody for useful information.
I materialize my trip and will contribute (Part 3) Trip report after my trip is over.
Actually, I plan to translate four books of the beginning in Wagon West Series.
https://www.goodreads.com/series/41498-wagons-west
I have visited the starting point of wagon train, Independence Mo in 2008 as you refer to” (Part 2) Trip report from a Japanese reader.”
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ese-reader.cfm
That’s why I visit Portland Or in August to inspect historic sites as the arrival point of wagon train.

Usually I agree with Tom but have met SO MANY people who absolutely love the interpretive center near Baker. Yes, granted it is 300 miles from Portland so one should have additional reasons for going there.