U. S. Route 97 closely follows the cutoff route down to Grass Valley. Ghosts of the '80s - Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson dominate the horizon as you head into Shaniko, a ghost town known as the Wool Shipping Center of the World in the 1880s. Services are still available at the historic Shaniko Hotel and other sites. From here, take Oregon Route 218 to Antelope. The hills around here are a habitat for the town's prong-horned namesake and used to be home of the Rajneesh, a massive religious commune that flourished and quickly disbanded in the early 1980s.
Interpretive trails feature startling evidence of prehistoric creatures.
Study them at the museum in Fossil or dig for them at public fossil beds. Rolling on the River - From Fossil, head south on Oregon Route 19 to Service Creek, a 1918 stage stop that still offers service to visitors. Then meander along the John Day River, where you'll find some of Oregon's finest camping, fishing, canoeing and rafting spots. Three forks merge near the town of Kimberly. Interpretive trails guide you through incredible blue-green canyons.