The Grande Ronde Valley , north of Baker City on I-84, is large, round, flat and rimmed by mountains. Now mostly drained to become farmland, this was once marshland, fatally boggy to pioneer wagons, forcing the Oregon Trail to keep to the higher but tougher ground around the hills as it headed northwest to the Blue Mountains.

The valley's hub is LA GRANDE , a lumber-and-university town linked with Portland by Greyhound buses, which pull in at 2108 Cove Ave. The chamber of commerce , 1912 Fourth St (tel 541/963-8588 or 1-800/848-9969, ), has maps and information. Look to the Greenwell Motel , 305 Adams Ave (tel 541/963-4134 or 1-800/772-0991; $35-50), and the Royal Motor Inn , 1510 Adams Ave (tel 541/963-4154 or 1-800/990-7575; $35-50), for cheap motel rooms. Decent restaurants include Mamacita's , 110 Depot St (tel 541/963-6223), with solid Mexican food, and Sunflower Books , 1114 Washington Ave (tel 541/963-5242), good for browsing with coffee and a pastry.

North on I-84: La Grande and Pendleton

• North on I-84: La Grande and Pendleton
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