View of the historic McDonald Crossing on the lower John Day Wild and Scenic River, from the BLM Rock Creek Recreation Site, May 27, 2017, by Greg Shine, BLM.

Thousands of immigrants traveling west on the Oregon Trail used the shallow river ford, known today as McDonald Crossing (on the western, Sherman County side) or the John Day Crossing (on the eastern, Gilliam County side), to traverse the lower John Day River on their way to the Willamette Valley and lands beyond. Today, it is a small but important part of the Oregon National Historic Trail.

Just upriver from the historic crossing is the BLM’s Rock Creek Recreation Site, on Lower Rock Creek Road. It’s a perfect day-use location for riverside fishing, picnicking, and boat launching.

For more information on these sites, contact our Prineville District Office at (541) 416-6700 or visit at 3050 NE 3rd St., Prineville, OR 97754.

The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center (NHOTIC) in Baker City, Oregon, offers living history demonstrations, interpretive programs, exhibits, multi-media presentations, special events, and more than four miles of interpretive trails. For more information, call 541-523-1843 or visit online at <a href="https://www.blm.gov/learn/interpretive-centers/national-historic-oregon-trail-interpretive-center" rel="nofollow">www.blm.gov/learn/interpretive-centers/national-historic-...</a>.

The mailing address is:

National Historic Oregon Trail Information Center 22267 Oregon Hwy 86 PO Box 987