Cornucopia

Tucked high in the mountains of Pine Valley in eastern Oregon's Baker County, Cornucopia traces its roots to the gold mining boom of the 1880s. The town was formally platted in 1886 and operated as a mining community — with varying degrees of success — for more than five decades before finally being abandoned in 1942.

Today Cornucopia is recognized primarily as a ghost town destination. Visitors come to take in the remnants of a community that once hummed with mining activity, set against a dramatic mountain backdrop. The site sits east of Baker City and nearly due north of Halfway, Oregon, accessible via Oregon Route 86.

Getting there demands preparation. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is required to reach the site, and the high mountain location means the window for a safe visit is limited to the warmer months. Snow and difficult road conditions make the area hazardous in winter. Come ready for a remote outing — this is a place where the setting and the silence are as much the draw as the historic structures themselves.