BLM Launches Three School Field-Trip Programs at National Historic Oregon Trail Center

The Bureau of Land Management announced three new curriculum-based school field-trip programs at the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center near Baker City for the 2026 season. The two-hour experiences are designed to bring the Oregon Trail to life for students in grades 2 through 8 and will be free to all school groups in 2026 thanks to financial support from Friends of NHOTIC and Crossroads Carnegie Art Center.

With three curriculum-based programs tailored to different age groups, schools can visit the center year after year to build on previous learning: Daily Life on the Oregon Trail — Grades 2–3, “explores what everyday life was like for children and families traveling the trail.” Survival and Success on the Oregon Trail — Grades 4–5, “examines the choices and hardships faced by pioneers and Indigenous peoples.” Whose Land Is It? — Grades 6–8, “investigates the complex questions of land use and ownership during westward expansion.”

The programs rely on hands-on exhibits, storytelling, and panoramic views and are presented in small-group discussions with educators, chaperones and center staff. Trail Center staff will provide all materials and guidance, and educators may extend visits with self-guided activities, a visit to the ruts, hikes, or a stop at the gift shop.

“This fitting milestone year to launch these programs that connect children to the stories and lands that shaped our history,” BLM spokesperson Don Manuszewski said. The timing aligns with local framing that the offerings commemorate the nation’s 250th birthday and the BLM’s 80th anniversary.

Schools should plan ahead: requests for specific dates or time frames should be submitted at least two months in advance, or four months for trips in late April through June. Tours are limited, and the BLM noted the National Parks Trust Kids to Parks grant program can assist with transportation and other expenses. For more information and a registration form, contact the Trail Center at 541-523-1843.

The announcement sits within the BLM’s broader mission to steward public lands. The agency manages about 245 million acres of public land primarily in 12 western states and administers 700 million acres of subsurface mineral estate. “Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations,” the BLM said in program materials.

Local educators can compare NHOTIC’s offerings with other place-based programs in the region, from National Park Service fourth-grade initiatives that include a yearlong Park Pass to BLM partner field trips such as the Winter Desert program at Celebration Park with live raptor education and hands-on labs. Those programs illustrate how hands-on, site-based learning can be tailored by grade and curriculum.

For Baker County schools, the new Trail Center programs create a no-cost opportunity in 2026 to connect classroom lessons on westward migration, community history and land stewardship with on-site interpretation. Schools planning a visit should call 541-523-1843 and submit date requests well ahead of the season to secure a spot.