Dalles Military Road
The John Day River was named for the Virginia hunter John Day, who crossed the country in 1811 with a trapping party. Muddy Creek, Currant Creek and Cold Camp were named by Joseph Sherar, a well-known Oregon explorer and road-builder, in 1862. The trail of his and others’ pack trains, winding down the hills from the Dalles to the Canyon City gold fields, was used by the Dalles Military Road Company for its ‘Dalles-Canyon City road’ in 1864. Henry H. Wheeler (for whom Wheeler County is named) ran a stage coach express from the Dalles to Canyon City in the 1860’s. The stagecoach station at the joining of Muddy and Currant Creeks was established around that time and served as a waypoint between Antelope and Burnt Ranch. The present Muddy Road, from Cold Camp through to Burnt Ranch, follows much of the original Dalles-Canyon City route.