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Highway 86: Baker City to Oxbow, Hells Canyon, Oregon
Photo: Justin Reina · CC BY-SA 3.0 · cropped

Drives Oregon Eastern Oregon

Highway 86: Baker City to Oxbow

OR 86 · Baker City → Oxbow

Leisurely67 mi1 hr 30 min3,300 ft climbHigh point ≈ 3,700 ftOne way
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The drive

OR 86 runs east from Baker City, near I-84, toward Hells Canyon. It leaves the Oregon Trail center on Flagstaff Hill and drops into the Powder River canyon to Richland, on the Powder River arm of Brownlee Reservoir. It then crosses to Halfway in Pine Valley and follows Pine Creek down to the Snake River at Oxbow.

The drive is 67.3 miles and takes about 1 hr 30 min. It's rated Leisurely, with few bends; the interest is in the canyons and the dry, open country. It's part of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway.

Services are few, so fill up in Baker City.

Along the way

  1. Baker City
  2. Richland
  3. Halfway
  4. Oxbow
Elevation
3,300 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 3,700 ft
Baker CityOxbow
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
Baker CityOxbow
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • Services are few between Baker City and Oxbow; fill the tank and bring water.
  • Few services along the route: fuel up in Baker City.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check ODOT TripCheck: road conditions.

Questions about this drive

How long is OR 86 from Baker City to Oxbow?

Highway 86 from Baker City to Oxbow is 67.3 miles and takes about 1 hr 30 min.

Is OR 86 twisty?

No. The drive is rated Leisurely, with few bends.

Is there gas on OR 86?

Services are few, so fill up in Baker City before the drive.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
Preview it in 3DFly the whole drive over satellite and terrain before you go.
Drive it with no signalAPEXDownload the map and every turn before you go.
Live Group TrackingAPEXEveryone on the route, on the map, by name.
Road conditionsAPEXWet or dry, ice, fog and wind along the road before you go.
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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Highway 86: Baker City to Oxbow, from Baker City to Oxbow