Seniors Discover the Painted Hills

Painted Hills in Oregon is named after the colorful layers of its hills corresponding to various geological eras, formed when the area was an ancient river floodplain. The Painted Hills are one of the three units of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, located in Wheeler County, and Mitchell is actually the “Gateway to the Painted Hills.”

The Hills are located 9 miles northwest of Mitchell and 75 miles east of Bend, Oregon and today is a favorite destination for senior geology enthusiasts. They make up 3,132 acres of beautiful eroding clay stone and are some of the state’s most unique natural wonders.

The Painted Hills are open throughout the year, but the hottest time to visit is mid-summer, when temperatures can rise over ninety degrees Fahrenheit. The vast, arid expanse gets downright steamy in the summer so prepare well with hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, and plenty of water.

They remind me of the The Painted Desert and Petrified Forest in northeast Arizona. In the Painted Hills they have discovered fossils of early horses, camels, and rhinoceroses among the dense layers of clay stone, a soil so dense that plants can’t seem to gain a foothold.

 Seniors Find A Rainbow Of  Ancient Stone

The Painted Hills look like a rainbow with its own unique colors. The yellows, golds, blacks, and reds of the Painted Hills are beautiful at all times of the day, but are best lit for photography in the late afternoon. Changing light and moisture levels can drastically affect the tones and hues visible in the hills.

Ancient and unique colors streak the clay rich hills and mounds that were formed over 35 million years ago by different volcanic eruptions and changing climate patterns.

 The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument comprises three separate locations. The Sheep Rock Unit, The Painted Hills Unit and the Clarno Unit each has short trails to dramatic views of colorful rock formations. Go “roaming a bit” with Nicole through Oregon’s “high desert” region.

One thing is for sure, a visit to the Painted Hills will be a one of a kind experience not to be soon forgotten. Eastern Oregon is awesome and the dramatic sweeping landscapes in this part of the state and the breathtaking views around every bend of the road make this region a paradise for any kind of outdoor enthusiast and nature lover.

The internationally famous Painted Hills and the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument are easy for senior travelers to reach by car on the “Journey through Time,” a scenic byway. Don’t miss Leaf Hill.  I think that you will love this part of Oregon. And senior visitors might as well take in the Annual Painted Hills Festival in Mitchell.  jeb