Painted Hills

The painted hills look like a scene out of a cross between a fairy tale and a Mad Max movie. This possibly are could have been what would be dreamed up as a landscape for that unique cross. Located in Central Oregon near the John Day fossil beds the Painted Hills got their name from the stratification of the layers visible from 360 degrees around. The Painted Hills are one of the 7 Wonders of Oregon.

The Painted Hills are located about an hour and 45 minutes east of Bend, Oregon off of the highway 26. Once you hit the town of Mitchell you will then head north down a slightly windy road and end up at the park. The ideal time to go to the Painted Hills would be in the off season of early spring or fall. The summer gets very crowded on the dirt roads, parking lots, and boardwalks. The summer can also be very hot, make sure to take extra water and food.

Looking for a road trip idea? Take a look at Eileen’s article with Travel Oregon. She goes on to say “The thought of stopping at the nearby Painted Hills and walking through the same landscape that ancient cousins of elephants, camels, rhinoceroses and sabertooth tigers had was enticing. But with a full day ahead of us, we would have blown right past it but for the insistence of a very passionate local resident.” She goes through some of the history, points of interest, and local eateries.

If you would like to find out about the park through the National Park Service, click here.