In early October I spent five days in the John Day country. On the fifth day of the trip I journeyed to the Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. After hiking the short, pleasant Leaf Hill and Red Hill Trails, I headed north to the John Day River and then east to Spray. The weather was spectacular, as were the scenery and wildlife.

This ends the series of posts about my visit to the John Day country. I’m hooked. What a great place to be in the late spring or early fall.

Cottontail Rabbit (To spot them, look for their eye)

Picturesque John Day River

Friendly town of Mitchell (My Merc was getting pretty dusty by this time)

John Day River passing through some painted hills

Layers of Basalt capping John Day Claystone

John Day River

Picnic site at the Clarno Unit (A stop on the way home to Portland)