This report will be more pictures than words :-) Based on photos I have seen online and
Stevefromdodge's Painted Hills trip report (Steve goes to fun places), we finally headed
out to the John Day Fossil Beds for an overnighter. We only hit two of the three units
(sheep rock and painted hills) based on time constraints. The three units are spread out
over more than 50 miles, so it will take more time to do it up proper. The drive though is
so pretty and geologically interesting, that it's actually kind of an added bonus. I've seen
a whole bunch of pictures of the painted hills. They are always amazing. I read somewhere
that the colors will be different based on temperature, moisture levels etc. I also read that
the best time of day for photos is late afternoon when the shadows "Work their magic".
Afternoon it is then...

Great pictures!

Kind of surreal looking, like a painting. I really like the one with the yellow flowers in the foreground.

 

Great stuff Adam!   Looks like you got a lot better flower bloom than I did.

I haven't been to Sheep Rock. Are the red hills more bentonite like the Painted Hills or something different?

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What do you suppose is around that next bend?

Stevefromdodge:

Great stuff Adam!   Looks like you got a lot better flower bloom than I did.

I haven't been to Sheep Rock. Are the red hills more bentonite like the Painted Hills or something different?

Thanks Steve. It was your report and another prior report that got me excited to go. You'll have to forgive me, but I can't find the other report and I forgot who wrote it so I can't give proper credit. I do remember it was a family spring break trip to the fossil beds. Was it chubby? I digress.....Steve, I can't tell you with absolute certainty, but the hills surrounding the Blue Basin look like very much like the painted hills. That whole area is a grab bag of different types of basalt, ash, clay, etc. I'm still trying to digest all the field guides and ranger info :-)

Fred:

Great pictures!

Kind of surreal looking, like a painting. I really like the one with the yellow flowers in the foreground.

 

Thanks Fred!