The surrounding landscape still bears the scars from when this massive gold dredge scoured the riverbed for gold and miles of tailings line the banks of the river, a remembrance from the prosperous days of mining.

The Sumpter Valley Dredge left much of the rocky footprint that you'll see on your trek along Highway 7 between Phillips Lake and Sumpter. The dredge is an important link to Oregon's pioneering past and development. It is one of the largest and most accessible gold dredges in the U.S..

The Dredge is the last of three built on the Powder River. Built in 1935, it ran until 1954, and dug up more than four million dollars worth of gold.

Visitors to the park can take a guided tour of the dredge and wander for hours through the interpretive hiking trails that meander through the tailings left behind by the dredge.

After visiting the dredge and perhaps taking a gold panning lesson from the park rangers, there's lots more history to explore at the Sumpter Valley Railroad, which delivers passengers to the Sumpter Station located at the entrance to the park. Or, continue to explore the area's Gold Rush heritage across the street at the Cracker Creek Museum of Mining before continuing along the byway.