Oregon’s Painted Hills had been on my bucket list for the longest time. The otherworldly landscape in this region makes me question if the photos I’ve seen of the Painted Hills are real or if someone has a doctorate in Photoshop.
As someone that happily grew up in Oregon, I have heard the endless hype about the famous Painted Hills for years! But I must confess to you — I stalled hard. It took me entirely too long to visit the Painted Hills (included in the prestigious Seven Wonders of Oregon list). Can you blame me? Oregon is chock-full of natural wonder and I only have 24-horus in a day!
However, I am here to tell you to learn from my mistake. After seeing Oregon’s Painted Hills firsthand, I now understand why this unique place has such an appeal on folks, myself included.
If you’re planning a trip to the Painted Hills, I hope you find the guide below helpful (it was a lot of fun writing it!). The guide outlines all the things we learned during our visit. Hope you enjoy!
Quick Tip: Don’t forget to pack sunscreen for your visit! Here’s the sunscreen I’ve used for the past 6+ years, I discovered it in France and now buy it in bulk. You’ll never catch me without it!
Oregon Painted Hills
Why are the Painted Hills so colorful?
Oregon’s Painted Hills are a lesson in stratigraphy. Say what?
Stratigraphy is the study of rock layers to see determine the relationship to a geological time scale.
Ancient eruptions caused volcanic ash layers to deposit over millions of years, causing different minerals to react and solidify into various colored bands over time.
These colors tell geologist what was happening in the area many years ago. Nerdy guide below.
Here’s a quick guide to the different colors:
- Red/orange soil: laterite formed during humidity and warmth.
- Black soil: lignite (vegetation that grew along the floodplain)
- Grey soil: shale, mudstone and siltstone
How to get to Oregon’s Painted Hills
The Painted Hills are 9 miles northwest of Mitchell, Oregon — a small town in eastern Oregon.
The closest big city is Bend, Oregon, which is a 2-hour drive (90 miles). From Bend, take US-26 5 miles east of Mitchell and then turn right at the signs for John Day Fossil Beds — Painted Hills Unit.
We drove from Portland, which was a five hour drive. Take US25, turn onto Burnt Ridge Road and take the signs for Painted Hills.
Best time to visit Oregon’s Painted Hills
For comfortable temperatures and blue skies, I suggest visiting in the early fall and late spring. September and October are a safe bet because temperatures will be comfortable.
The spring months (April, May and early June) are also a good time to go, but there’s a higher chance of rain. Don’t let that deter you though, the hills change color after it rains. The vividness is hard to beat! Plus, you may ever see wildflowers (May is a great month for flowers).
Based on personal experience, I suggest avoiding the summer months (June thru August) because it gets very hot, which makes it hard to explore the area.
Likewise, try to visit the Painted Hills during sunrise or sunset — the colors truly come alive when the lights fills (and leaves) the valley. It’s definitely worth the effort.
Painted Hills Oregon | Things to Do
#1. Hike the Painted Cove Trail
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Distance: 1/4 mile loop
This is the most popular hike in the area and chances are good you’ve seen photos of it, not hard to see why!
A level boardwalk takes you through a striking color palette of vibrate yellow, lavender and crimson hills. Make sure to stay on the trail to avoid damaging sensitive habitat. This was by far the most crowded trail during our visit, the boardwalk is a great experience.
#2. Hike the Red Scar Knoll/Red Hill Trail
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Distance: 1/4 mile loop
This level trail takes you to a massive hill alive with bright red and yellow clay. You can get very close to the hill, but make sure not to touch it. The dry landscape and interesting outcropping remind me of the landscapes of Africa – so cool!
Tip: Trailhead signs read Red Hill.
#3. Hike the Leaf Hill Trail
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Distance: 1/4 mile loop
This trail has been extensively studied and excavated by paleontologists over the years. The trail takes you past informative signs that explain more history. Stop and enjoy the grandeur of the land you’re walking on!
Thousands of fossils have been excavated from this area, making for some interesting discoveries. If you see fossils during your visit, it’s imperative that you leave them be. As mentioned, collecting fossils is strictly prohibited.
#4. Hike to the Painted Hills Overlook
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Distance: 1/2 mile out and back
- Best time to visit: Sunset
This flat trail takes you to a stunning overlook that provides the best view of the Painted Hills, this is the best place to catch sunset.
Let me tell you — watching the sun leave the valley floor from the overlook was incredible! The colors are so breathtaking.
#5. Hike the Carroll Rim Trail
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Distance: 1.6 miles out and back, 400′ of elevation gain
Clocking in at 1.6-miles round trip, this is the longest trail in the park and leads directly to a panoramic view of the Painted Hills. It’s a great sunset hike, we loved it!
Tips for visiting the Painted Hills
Leave No Trace
- If you’re unfamiliar with Leave No Trace, it’s a measure to be a good steward of the land. You can read about the seven principals of Leave No Trace here.
Painted Hills is relatively small
- The road from start to finish is only 3.5 miles long so believe me when I tell you it’s a small area to explore. You won’t need more than 3 hours total.
Fossils at the Painted Hills
- Fossil collecting is strictly prohibited. Federal law protect all fossils and other natural and cultural features in the park. If you stumble upon a fossil, do not collect, dig or disturb.
Hiking in the Painted Hills
- There are only five (short and mostly flat) hikes in the park, ranging from .25 miles to 1.6 miles. We hiked all 5 trails and cover them in detail below.
- Stay on the trail and wear appropriate footwear to prevent yourself from tripping and slipping.
Desert critters
- Watch out for rattlesnakes, ticks, scorpions and black widow spiders. It goes without saying, but remember to watch where you step!
Water is NOT available
- There’s no water within the area, aside from the picnic area. Even then, water is only available during the summer months, so make sure to bring water with you — it gets hot quickly.
Painted Hills Weather
- The weather varies greatly at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, which is typical of a desert landscape. Summer temperatures can rise to 110 (yikes!) and winters sometimes bring snow and ice, although overall they’re known to be mild.
Sunscreen, layers and hats
- The sun is intense and shade is minimal. I can’t tell you how many folks I saw nursing sunburns at the end of the day. Carry sunscreen and apply liberally.
- Light layers and hats are a huge help as well. I NEVER leave the house without this top. Oh, and don’t forget your sunglasses.
Hiking with pups
- Dogs are allowed on the trails (only) and must be kept on a leash. We saw so many cute pups during our trip, always makes the trip better!
Camping near Oregon’s Painted Hills
There are plenty of camping options nearby, but camping within the Painted Hills Unit is not allowed. This map is very helpful.
My two favorite campgrounds near the Painted Hills in Oregon are:
- Redhill Dispersed Campground
- Big Bend Campground
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
The Painted Hills are by far the most popular unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. The entire monument is comprised of three interesting units, read more here.
It’s easy to see why the Painted Hills is the most popular unit. Walking around the Painted Hills truly feels like walking on mars. Glorious multicolored bands stripe theses hills with deep reds, brilliant yellows, and even some blues and greens. While the park itself is smaller than I expected the experience is totally worth it; an experience that is better felt than explained.
Further Reading:
And there you have it, folks! I hope you enjoyed this guide to the striking Painted Hills in Oregon. Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions!
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Happy hiking,
Antonina
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Surprised you didn’t mention cycling. Here’s my favorite gravel route: https://dirtyfreehub.com/adventure/oregon-x/priest-hole/