John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

It had rained on my first day on a visit to Central Oregon. Two days later I drove to one of my favorite photography sites. The Painted Hills located northwest of Mitchell, Oregon are part of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.

The reason I mentioned the earlier rainfall is that The Painted Hills are at their best after a period of rain, if the sun is shining during your visit. This is due to the compressed volcanic ash absorbing the rainwater, bringing out the vivid yellows, golds, blacks, and reds of the soil.

Painted Hills Overlook Trail

It was a near perfect day with sunshine and beautiful colors displayed in the hills. I hiked the one-half mile trail up to a wonderful overlook of the Painted Hills. I thought to myself, how lucky can I be? The day before I had hiked to Green Lakes in the Three Sisters Wilderness and today I’m at the Painted Hills. The are both on a short list of the top places to visit within the Pacific Northwest.