OR 86 begins at an intersection with I-84 near Baker City. It heads east through Richland and turns north toward Halfway, to which the spur connects. Shortly after the spur departs, OR 86 intersects OR 414, which also heads to Halfway. OR 86 then turns northeast and continues to the Idaho state line on the Snake River at Oxbow. Just before the state line, a county road turns off to the south, following the river to the Brownlee Dam and Idaho State Highway 71.
The spur begins at an intersection near Halfway and heads northeast into Halfway, where it ends at an intersection with OR 413 and OR 414.
History
Highway 12 was established in 1917 as the Baker-Cornucopia Highway, running from Baker (now Baker City) to Cornucopia. It was designated OR 86 when the Oregon route numbering system was initiated in 1932.
In 1935, Highway 12 was divided at Halfway into the Baker-Homestead Highway and the Halfway-Cornucopia Highway No. 413. The OR 86 designation was removed from the Halfway-Cornucopia highway.
In 1959, Highway 12 was rebuilt between Richland and Halfway, and the portion of the Pine Creek Highway No. 414 from Halfway to Copperfield was reassigned to Highway 12. Highway 12 was then renamed the Baker-Copperfield Highway and the OR 86 designation extended along its full length.
In 1976, with the construction of what was then Interstate 80N and is now Interstate 84, the Baker-Copperfield Highway was realigned onto the freeway and the OR 86 designation removed from the freeway section and the section west of the freeway. The section west of I-84 was added to OR 7.
