Oregon Route 86
Encyclopedia
Oregon Route 86 is an Oregon
state highway
running from Interstate 84 at Baker City
to the Idaho
state line at Oxbow (near the former site of Copperfield). OR 86 comprises most of the Baker-Copperfield Highway No. 12 (see Oregon highways and routes). It is 67.82 miles (109.1 km) long and runs east–west. OR 86 has an unsigned spur near Halfway
, which runs for 1.15 miles (1.9 km). Most of OR 86 is part of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway
.
and turns north toward Halfway, to which the spur connects. Shortly after the spur departs, OR 86 intersects OR 414
, which also heads to Halfway. OR 86 then turns northeast and continues to the Idaho state line on the Snake River
at Oxbow. Just before the state line, a county road turns off to the south, following the river to the Brownlee Dam
and Idaho State Highway 71.
The spur begins at an intersection near Halfway and heads northeast into Halfway, where it ends at an intersection with OR 413
and OR 414.
. It was designated OR 86 when the Oregon route numbering system was initiated in 1932.
In 1935, Highway 12 was divided at Halfway into the Baker-Homestead Highway and the Halfway-Cornucopia Highway No. 413. The OR 86 designation was removed from the Halfway-Cornucopia highway.
In 1959, Highway 12 was rebuilt between Richland and Halfway, and the portion of the Pine Creek Highway No. 414 from Halfway to Copperfield was reassigned to Highway 12. Highway 12 was then renamed the Baker-Copperfield Highway and the OR 86 designation extended along its full length.
In 1976, with the construction of what was then Interstate 80N and is now Interstate 84, the Baker-Copperfield Highway was realigned onto the freeway and the OR 86 designation removed from the freeway section and the section west of the freeway. The section west of I-84 was added to OR 7.
The entire route is in Baker County.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
state highway
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
running from Interstate 84 at Baker City
Baker City, Oregon
Baker City is a city in and the county seat of Baker County, Oregon, United States. It was named after Edward D. Baker. The population was 9,828 at the 2010 census.-History:...
to the Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
state line at Oxbow (near the former site of Copperfield). OR 86 comprises most of the Baker-Copperfield Highway No. 12 (see Oregon highways and routes). It is 67.82 miles (109.1 km) long and runs east–west. OR 86 has an unsigned spur near Halfway
Halfway, Oregon
Halfway is a city in Baker County, Oregon, United States. This town took its name from the location of its post office, on the Alexander Stalker ranch, half way between Pine and Cornucopia...
, which runs for 1.15 miles (1.9 km). Most of OR 86 is part of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway
Hells Canyon Scenic Byway
Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is a designated All-American Road in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the northeast corner of Oregon and comprises Oregon Route 82, Forest Roads 39 and 3365, and most of Oregon Route 86...
.
Route description
OR 86 begins at an intersection with I-84 near Baker City. It heads east through RichlandRichland, Oregon
Richland is a city in Baker County, Oregon, United States. The population was 147 at the 2000 census.-History:Richland was platted in 1897 due to needs from nearby mining and railroad interests...
and turns north toward Halfway, to which the spur connects. Shortly after the spur departs, OR 86 intersects OR 414
Oregon Route 414
Oregon Route 414 is an Oregon state highway running from OR 86 Spur and OR 413 in Halfway to OR 86 near Halfway. OR 153 is known as the Pine Creek Highway No. 414...
, which also heads to Halfway. OR 86 then turns northeast and continues to the Idaho state line on the Snake River
Snake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
at Oxbow. Just before the state line, a county road turns off to the south, following the river to the Brownlee Dam
Brownlee Dam
Brownlee Dam is a hydroelectric earth fill embankment dam on the Snake River on the Idaho-Oregon border, in Hells Canyon . It impounds the Snake River in the long Brownlee Reservoir...
and Idaho State Highway 71.
The spur begins at an intersection near Halfway and heads northeast into Halfway, where it ends at an intersection with OR 413
Oregon Route 413
Oregon Route 413 is an Oregon state highway running from Cornucopia to Halfway. OR 413 is known as the Halfway-Cornucopia Highway No. 413...
and OR 414.
History
Highway 12 was established in 1917 as the Baker-Cornucopia Highway, running from Baker (now Baker City) to CornucopiaCornucopia, Oregon
Cornucopia is a ghost town of the gold mining boom of the 1880s in Eastern Oregon, United States. The name of the town was chosen since it meant "Horn of Plenty". Gold was discovered in Cornucopia in 1884. The town was platted in 1886. It is located east of Baker City high in the mountains of Pine...
. It was designated OR 86 when the Oregon route numbering system was initiated in 1932.
In 1935, Highway 12 was divided at Halfway into the Baker-Homestead Highway and the Halfway-Cornucopia Highway No. 413. The OR 86 designation was removed from the Halfway-Cornucopia highway.
In 1959, Highway 12 was rebuilt between Richland and Halfway, and the portion of the Pine Creek Highway No. 414 from Halfway to Copperfield was reassigned to Highway 12. Highway 12 was then renamed the Baker-Copperfield Highway and the OR 86 designation extended along its full length.
In 1976, with the construction of what was then Interstate 80N and is now Interstate 84, the Baker-Copperfield Highway was realigned onto the freeway and the OR 86 designation removed from the freeway section and the section west of the freeway. The section west of I-84 was added to OR 7.
Major intersections
- Note: mileposts do not reflect actual mileage due to realignments.
The entire route is in Baker County.
| Location | Mile | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.43 | Interchange | ||
| 53.55 | Halfway, Cornucopia Cornucopia, Oregon Cornucopia is a ghost town of the gold mining boom of the 1880s in Eastern Oregon, United States. The name of the town was chosen since it meant "Horn of Plenty". Gold was discovered in Cornucopia in 1884. The town was platted in 1886. It is located east of Baker City high in the mountains of Pine... (OR 86 Spur) |
||
| 54.39 | Halfway, Cornucopia Cornucopia, Oregon Cornucopia is a ghost town of the gold mining boom of the 1880s in Eastern Oregon, United States. The name of the town was chosen since it meant "Horn of Plenty". Gold was discovered in Cornucopia in 1884. The town was platted in 1886. It is located east of Baker City high in the mountains of Pine... (OR 414) |
||
| 63.50 | Hells Canyon Overlook, Imnaha Imnaha, Oregon Imnaha is an unincorporated community at the confluence of Big Sheep Creek and the Imnaha River in Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. Its elevation is . Oregon Route 350 connects Imnaha to the nearest incorporated city, Joseph, Oregon, to the west.... , Joseph Joseph, Oregon Joseph is a city in Wallowa County, Oregon, United States. Originally named Silver Lake and Lake City, in 1880 the city formally named itself for Nez Perce Chief Joseph. The population was 1,054 at the 2000 census.- History :... |
||
| 70.48 | Oxbow Dam Oxbow Dam Oxbow Dam is a hydroelectric run-of-the-river rockfill dam on the Snake River on the Idaho-Oregon border, in Hells Canyon . It is part of the Hells Canyon Project that also includes Hells Canyon Dam and Brownlee Dam, built and operated by Idaho Power Company.The dam's powerhouse contains four... , Brownlee Dam Brownlee Dam Brownlee Dam is a hydroelectric earth fill embankment dam on the Snake River on the Idaho-Oregon border, in Hells Canyon . It impounds the Snake River in the long Brownlee Reservoir... , Cambridge Cambridge, Idaho Cambridge is a city in Washington County, Idaho, United States. The population was 360 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cambridge is located at .... |
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| 70.56 | Oxbow Oxbow, Oregon Oxbow is an unincorporated community in Baker County, Oregon, United States. Oxbow is located on Oregon Route 86 next to the Snake River near the Oxbow Dam on the Oregon-Idaho border, about 17 miles northeast of Halfway. Oxbow is just south of the site of the former mining town of Copperfield... , Homestead Homestead, Oregon Homestead is an unincorporated community in Baker County, Oregon, United States. Homestead lies on the Snake River south of Hells Canyon National Recreation Area and four miles north of Oxbow. Its ZIP code is 97840, and its area codes are 458 and 541.... , Hells Canyon Trail |
||
| 70.80 | Idaho state line | ||
Spur
| Location | Mile | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 53.55 | |||
| Halfway | 54.70 | , Hells Canyon Dam Hells Canyon Dam Hells Canyon Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Snake River in Hells Canyon on the Idaho-Oregon border. The dam impounds the Snake River in Hells Canyon Reservoir; its spillway elevation is above sea level.... |