Surrounding Area
From hiking and backpacking in the Elkhorn Mountains to visiting historic Sumpter, the activities around Baker City are endless including hunting and fishing in the beautiful open lands.
HIKING AND BACKPACKING THE ELKHORN CREST TRAIL
Approximately 20 miles of rugged trail running atop the Elkhorn Mountains from Marble Pass to Anthony Lakes make up the majestic Elkhorn Crest Trail. This trail is great for a multi-day through hike out-and-back hikes to Twin Lakes, Lost Lake, Black Lake, Dutch Flat, and more. For more information on the Elkhorn Crest Trail, check out our blog.
SKIING AT ANTHONY LAKES
Some of the best skiing in Eastern Oregon is just a 45 minute drive from Good Bear Ranch at Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort, and s stay at Good Bear Ranch gets you discounted lift tickets! With a base elevation of 7100 ft, an annual snowfall average of 250in , 21 Alpine runs, and 30km of groomed Nordic trails, this mountain is definitely worth a day trip if you’re visiting during the winter months. You can even grab a bite to eat after a long day skiing at the Star Bottle Saloon!
HIKING AT ANTHONY LAKES
During the off season, Anthony Lakes is a perfect location for a day hike. There are endless options for trails, all of varying length and difficulty. Below are a few of our favorites.
HOFFER LAKES
Hoffer Lakes is an easy hike at about 2.5 miles round trip and can be done as a loop or an out and back. If you’re feeling adventurous, there is a rock scramble just past the lakes that allows for some amazing views.
CRAWFISH LAKE
Another beautiful hike for most skill levels is Crawfish Lake. This is an out and back trail with a total length of close to 4 miles. The trailhead is actually a bit past Anthony Lakes off the left of the highway.
THE ANTHONY LAKE LOOP
For anyone looking for a mild, but still beautiful, walk, the approximately 1 mile loop around Anthony Lake is perfect for you. This is a great walk for the whole family.
SUMPTER, OR
A short 45 minute drive around the backside of the Elkhorn Mountains from Baker City is Sumpter. Sumpter is rich in gold mining history, trail access, and is close by a few ghost towns. If you’re looking for a history focused day trip, you won’t want to pass this up. Some of the most notable attractions include the Sumpter Valley Gold Dredge, Granite Ghost Town, the Cracker Creek Mine, and the many historical buildings along the main road of Sumpter. For more complete information, visit historicsumpter.com
OREGON VIA THE BLUE MOUNTAINS TRAIL
The Blue Mountains Trail is an immersive adventure through the diverse interconnected eco-regions that comprise the Greater Hells Canyon Region. The trail will take you deep into the mountains, forests, rivers, ecosystems, and communities of northeast Oregon. It shares the living history of why the Blue Mountains are ecologically unique and more parts of it deserve permanent protection.
For more information, visit hellscanyon.org.
Hunting and Fishing
Hunting and fishing is not permitted on the Good Bear Ranch property, but Eastern Oregon is known for its prime habitat for Rocky Mountain Elk with the best concentration of herds being here, in the Blue Mountains, according to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The season is from October through November, Remember that all applications for controlled hunts are due by May 15 each year. Contact us about HUNTER SPECIALS in the month of October, rkcoen2@gmail.com.
Oregon’s year-round fishing spans the state from native redband trout in eastern deserts to rockfish and halibut in ocean waters – with lots of salmon, steelhead, trout and warmwater fishing in between. Whether your plans take you to a nearby neighborhood pond or to one of the state’s premiere fishing destinations, there will be a place for you to fish in Oregon every day of the year.