Guide to the Painted Hills: Oregon’s John Day Fossil Beds NM

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Oregon’s “painted mountains” (officially part of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument) are the perfect place for families to explore together. In this post I’ll guide you through the best sites in and around John Day Fossil Beds NM and offer hiking trail recommendations for families and individuals.

The Painted Hills have gained such renown that they’re often mistaken as a National Park. While Crater Lake is only “official” national park in Oregon, the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is no less remarkable than its famous neighbor.

Mossy rock and Painted Hills National Park from above.

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Jennifer and I had the opportunity to spend a week exploring the John Day Fossil Beds and the surrounding countryside. We were blown away and we can’t wait to return with the whole family. 

Couple with beanies in front of the Painted Hills National Park (John Day Fossil Beds National Monument - painted hills unit).
Me and my BFF at the Painted Hills.

One of the Seven Wonders of Oregon

The Painted Hills are the chief attraction of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. National Monuments are another kind of park that’s administered by the National Park Service.

Foree rock formation at John Day Fossil Beds NM, Oregon.
Foree Trailhead, one of several stunning locations at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

There are differences between National Parks and National Monuments, but those details rarely add up to a noticeable difference in visitor experience. Most National Monuments are the matinee of the NPS system, giving all of the value of a National Park for only half the trouble. 

Rock formation at John Day Fossil Beds NM - Clarno Unit.
Clarno Unit, one of the three majestic units of the John Day Fossil Bed National Monument

That’s certainly the case at this National Monument. It’s hard to think of another site that offers so much beauty, interest, and variety. It’s easy to see why it’s called one of the Seven Wonders of Oregon.

Blue Basin in the Painted Hills National Park (John Day Fossil Beds NM in Oregon).

Fossils and geological marvels

I’ve traveled the American West and seen the vast majority of its landscapes. The John Day Fossil Beds are one of the most unique places in North America. Wild and rugged landforms change radically over a distance of a few miles, yards, and even feet.

Painted Cove paleosoils up close. Part of the Painted Hills unit of the John Day Fossil Beds NM near Mitchell, Oregon.

The Monument preserves one of the most complete fossil records of the Cenozoic Era, known as the Age of Mammals. The remarkable assortment of fossil-rich layers allow us to study Oregon’s climate and ecosystems from 44 million to 7 million years ago

Seven distinct fossil-rich formations provide a strong record of Oregon’s natural history spanning 50 million years.

Fossil from the Painted Hills National Park collection.

“Fossils” includes a wide range of mammals, plants, as well as several reptiles and other creatures. Earth’s history has even been catalogued in paleosoils—the fossilized soils that have enriched the Painted Hills with their vibrant colors

Educational and accessible adventures

Educational resources and accessible trails make the John Day Fossil Beds a great STEAM destination. The natural and human history of the John Day Fossil Beds offer a wide range of fields for students to explore.

The National Monument is a fantastic place to learn geology, paleontology, ecology, biology, and American history. 

Driving towards the Painted Hills National Park.

The monument’s fifteen trails are notable for their accessibility. Only two of the trails exceed a mile in length, and most trails are less than a mile round trip.

The short trails are ideal for roadtripping families allowing parents plenty of ways to see the monument without overdoing it. Better yet, nearly all of these trails are accompanied by well-developed parking lots and picnic areas.

The Painted Hills are not difficult to access in normal driving conditions.

Finally, the John Day Fossil Beds are situated in a remote and remarkable part of Oregon. Wheeler County is one of the least developed counties in Oregon, making it a great place to spot wildlife, enjoy wide open spaces, and experience authentic country living.

The rustic, rugged landscape makes for memorable, scenic drives to and from the three units that make up this national monument. At only 3 hours’ drive from the Portland Metro area, it makes for a beautiful day trip too!

Cattle grazing outside the Painted Hills unit at the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.
Rush Hour in Wheeler County, Oregon.

All told, this National Monument is a great place to get your children exploring, learning, and thinking. Here’s our list of top stops in and around the John Day Fossil Beds, starting with its legendary landmark.

1. The Incredible Painted Hills

Painted Hills National Park viewed from the top of Carroll Rim Trail. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon.
The Painted Hills of Oregon are one of the wonders of the American West.

How do I begin to describe Oregon’s Painted Hills? The American West has its share of badlands—Sonora’s Painted Desert, the Badlands of the High Plains, etc. The Painted Hills eclipses all of them.

Painted Hills National Park, Oregon

Oregon’s Badlands offer richer and stranger colors than their counterparts in Arizona and the Dakotas. The colorful hills offer deep hues of yellow, orange, maroon, lavender, and pink. Other areas of the John Day Fossil Beds feature different colors such as green and even deep turquoise. 

Painted Hills National Park, Oregon.

John Day’s colorful hills are perfectly set within the rugged, wild beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Robust, burgundy basalt cliffs and desert prairie frame the Painted Hills giving it a beauty beyond words. 

Countryside near Painted Hills National Park, Oregon.
The countryside surrounding the Painted Hills has its own breathtaking beauty.

The Story Behind the Painted Hills

The Painted Hills are a masterpiece of the ages. The fossilized soils that compose the Hills tell the story of Oregon’s ancient past.

Painted Hills National Park, Mitchell, Oregon.

These paleosoils (“old soils”) provide hallmarks of ancient climates. Different geological eras created different types of soil compositions, which lead to various shades of color. 

Crimson soils that make up the Painted Hills National Park in Oregon.

Reds of the Painted Hills testify to tropical periods when Oregon hosted crocodiles. Yellows formed in drier climes, at times when Oregon was much like the African Savannah with lower moisture levels. 

Painted Hills Unit, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon.

The Painted Hills Overlook Trail provides you with the best view of this ecological record. From the overlook you can easily see how the Painted Hills change color in a uniform and predictable manner. 

It’s easy to see the beauty and miss the profound power of this record. Every color change amounts to notable climactic and ecological shift in earth’s history. How many years of history go into the smallest band of color? The earth is astoundingly old.

Tips for a great Painted Hills experience

Take your time

You could see the Painted Hills in one hour’s time, but we don’t recommend that at all. If anything it would be better not to go than to stop in, snap a photo, and scoot.

We found that a three hour window gave us enough time to explore the park, take in the quiet beauty, and get all of the photos that we wanted.

In fact, we returned a second time during the week because the Painted Hills Unit was so breathtaking. It’s simply the best site in the entire monument, so give you and your family lots of space to enjoy the wonder.

Painted Cove trail in the Painted Hills National Park.

Double check your directions

Three distinct units comprise the John Day Fossil Beds: The Painted Hills Unit, the Sheep Rock Unit, and the Clarno Unit.

If you type “John Day Fossil Beds National Monument” into your GPS and hit go, then you may end up at the visitor center located in the Sheep Rock Unit. The visitor center is cool, but it’s an hour drive from the Painted Hills Unit.

The NPS map shows how the three units of the John Day Fossil Beds are located at three different places in Central Oregon.
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is spread across three different units. Map courtesy of NPS.

If you’re confused, just direct your GPS to Mitchell, Oregon. The town of Mitchell is right next to the Painted Hills Unit. Bottom Line: double check your map to make sure that you’re headed to the Painted Hills Unit.

Introduce your kids to the Painted Hills with our Kindle Book!

Dress for the weather

The Painted Hills are located in Oregon’s high desert, and offer little to no shelter from the elements. Snow and ice are common in winter and you can expect hot temperatures in summer months.

Visit during the shoulder months if you can, watch the weather, and dress in layers. We found fair weather and few crowds in April, but we happened to arrive only days after a snowstorm!

Come prepared and plan ahead

Come prepared with what you’ll need for your visit to the Painted Hills. The John Day Fossil Beds are remote. The nearest national-chain amenities are an hour and a half away.

The Painted Hills are close to the town of Mitchell, but Mitchell is small—130 people, two stoplights. While this town is a fun place to visit, you’ll be hard pressed to find all the items on your list.

Mitchell, Oregon

Best hikes at the Painted Hills

Painted Hills National Park has lots of great family-friendly hikes.
The Painted Hills offers stunning, family-friendly hikes.

Nearly all of the hikes found at the Painted Hills Unit are worth your time. Here’s a quick summary of the four best hikes, and a hike to skip if you’re pressed for time.

Painted Hills Overlook Trail (rating 5/5)

I already mentioned this trail above, but it’s worth stressing that this tiny trail is a natural starting point for your visit. The Painted Hills Overlook Trail offers the best views of the unit’s best set of hills.

The fantastic views set the tone for the whole experience and interpretive signs give a good opportunity to understand and appreciate the Painted Hills. 

Carroll Rim Trail (rating: 5/5)

Painted Hills Panorama

Carroll Rim is hands-down the best hike at the Painted Hills Unit, and may be the best hike of the entire John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. The trail is 1.6 miles long round trip and gradually brings you up to the top of Carroll Rim, a ridge which overlooks the Painted Hills. 

Woman on Carroll Rim Trail, Painted Hills unit of the John Day Fossil Beds NM, Oregon.

We found this trail enthralling. Photo opportunities abound, offering plenty of material for creativity. The summit offers a 360-degree view of the entire countryside. We spent nearly an hour sitting at the top of the world, listening to the wind and watching the hawks circle the skies. 

Carroll Rim has a lot going for it if you’re hiking with a family. For one, the trail is straightforward with only one way up and one way down. The 400 foot elevation gain is not difficult for anyone in relatively good health.

Best of all, the summit is quite broad, so the overlook is relatively safe with adequate adult supervision. Come prepared for strong winds

Woman on bench at Carroll Rim.

The best time to do this hike is in late afternoon when the sun is behind you, lighting up the Painted Hills. Carroll Rim offers the best view of the Painted Hills and their surrounding countryside; don’t miss it!

Painted Cove Trail (rating 5/5)

Painted Cove trail in the Painted Hills Unit at John Day Fossil Beds NM.

Painted Cove is an equal contender with Carroll Ridge. The truth is that these two top-notch trails deliver equal value in different ways. What Carroll Ridge gives in vistas, Painted Cove gives in detail. 

Man in front of Painted Cove hill.

Painted Cove is only 0.25 miles round trip, but it will take you twenty minutes or longer to get through it. Incredibly rich colors saturate the Cove. Some of these colors transition, intersect, or explode in remarkable and unexpected ways. 

Colorful rocks at Painted Hills Unit.

The Painted Cove is also valuable because it affords one of the closest views of the Painted Hills. A level boardwalk allows you to walk amidst the actual hills and observe the soil from a perspective that you don’t get at the Painted Hills Overlook Trail.

Color contrasts between green pine and burgundy soil at the Painted Cove. Painted Hills National Park, Oregon.

Walking among the Painted Hills and seeing the phenomenon up close is an unforgettable experience.

Red Scar Knoll Trail (rating 3/5)

Red Scar Knoll Trail. Painted Hills National Park, Oregon.

Sometimes called Red Hill trail, the Red Scar Knoll Trail is another close-up trail within the Painted Hills Unit. The 0.25 mile long trail brings you up to Red Scar Knoll, a pyramidal shaped painted hill. The deep colors and bizarre shape excite curiosity and creativity.

Brilliant colors at the John Day Fossil Beds NM, Painted Hills unit.

Leaf Hill Trail (rating: 1/5)

Leaf Hill Trail has little to see and almost nothing to do. The trail highlights the place where paleontologists discovered a fossil-rich formation known as the Bridge Creek Formation. The Bridge Creek formation is important in the study of prehistoric plant-life.

Unfortunately, the area is entirely fenced off. So the overall experience amounts to an interpretive sign and a pile of dirt that you can’t touch. You and your children will find a better experience at the Visitor Center (see below).

2. Thomas Condon Paleontology Center

Terminator pig fossil skull, Thomas Condon Paleontology Center.
The fearsome skull of a “Terminator Pig”. A buffalo-sized pig that (thankfully) went extinct.

The Thomas Condon Paleontology Center is a visitor center and science museum in one place. Extensive fossil exhibits, hands-on displays, and life-size depictions make this place a must-see school stop. 

The visitor center is named after Thomas Condon, a frontier minister who first discovered the fossil beds in the 19th century. Condon advocated for the study and preservation of John Day Fossil Beds. 

Diorama of the Hancock Mammal Quarry at the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center, John Day Fossil Beds NM, Oregon.

Great location and exhibits

The top-notch interpretive center is ideally located across the valley from Sheep Rock. Children can peer through a telescope to survey the stacked fossil layers that compose Sheep Rock. Then they can learn about those layers in sequence in the interactive visitor center

View of Sheep Rock unit from the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center. Painted Hills National Park, Oregon.
Prehistoric peril welcomes you to the Thomas Condon Museum of Paleontology. Sheep Rock stands in the righthand corner.

To walk into these displays is to enter a world that is both strange and familiar. Buffalo-sized pigs with fearsome teeth, tiny three-toed horses, and strange bear-dog predators populate an ancient Oregon.

The many worlds of the John Day Fossil Beds takes you well beyond the woolly mammoths, saber-toothed cats, and giant sloths that dominate our conceptions of Cenozoic life.

Paleontology Lab and Jr. Ranger Program

An observation window lets you see into the Thomas Condon Paleontology Lab. A paleontologist uses a sophisticated microscope to study a fossil.

The center’s working lab offers you the opportunity to see paleontology in action. You and your children can watch experts as they carefully clean and examine fossil specimens and incorporate them into current research. 

Students can also benefit from the Monument’s Junior Ranger Program. Like all NPS sites, this Monument’s Jr. Ranger Program gives children the opportunity to challenge themselves through age-appropriate activity books and programs.

Illustration showing "terminator pigs" from the Cenozoic Era. NPS copyright image. Thomas Condon Paleontology Center, Painted hills National Park.
Check out John Day Fossil Beds NM’s website to learn about Terminator Pigs . . . from a safe distance. Image courtesy of NPS.

The monument’s website provides additional ways to discover and explore via online resources.

The Thomas Condon Museum of Paleontology is a center worthy of its remarkable subject, and is well worth your time.

3. More to see at the Sheep Rock Unit

Brian and Jenn smiling in front of colored cliff on the Flood of Fire Trail in Foree

The Sheep Rock Unit has several sites for hiking and exploring spread out over a distance. We also made stops at the Foree Trailhead and the Mascall Formation Overlook, which were both beautiful in their own right. You can drive through the Picture Gorge on your way south towards the Mascall Formation Overlook.

Road signs for Journey Thru Time Oregon Scenic Byway
The Journey Thru Time Scenic Byway takes you through most of the sites in the Sheep Rock Unit.

Foree Trailhead

Two trails start at the Foree Trailhead at the north end of the Sheep Rock Unit: the Flood of Fire Trail and the Story in Stone Trail. Both trails are under half a mile long and easy hikes with minimal elevation gains. We were tempted to skip these trails, but we’re so glad we did them!

The Flood of Fire Trail (rating 4/5)

Flood of Fire viewpoint
Flood of Fire Trail Viewpoint

This trail is 0.4 miles roundtrip and ends in front of a stunning layered cliff of mostly blue-green clay stone. Interpretive signs explain how the various layers came to be.

Story in Stone Trail (rating: 4/5)

Blue-green stone pillar on the Story in Stone Trail at John Day Fossil Beds NM

This is a mostly level 0.3 mile trail that starts off paved and continues with gravel. It loops around stone formations that are part of the Turtle Cove formation, including a giant blue-green claystone pillar.

Mascall Formation Overlook

View of the Mascall Formation from the Overlook
View of the Mascall Formation from the Overlook

The Mascall Formation Overlook is at the far southern end of the Sheep Rock Unit, off Highway 26. It’s not really a hike, just a short walk from the parking area to a viewpoint that offers panoramic views of the Mascall Formation, Picture Gorge, and the John Day Valley. Be prepared for strong winds – I almost lost my favorite ball cap here!

Picture Gorge (drive through with pullouts)

Interpretive sign for Picture Gorge Basalts in foreground with Picture Gorge Basalts behind

As you drive through the southern end of the Sheep Rock Unit, you’ll find stunning basalt columns lining the road. Pullouts at various points allow visitors to safely stop and enjoy these epic rock formations. It’s called Picture Gorge because local indigenous tribes drew pictographs on them centuries ago.

4. The Blue Basin

Blue Basin, John Day Fossil Beds NM.
The greens of the Blue Basin. Jennifer did some on-site photo editing to match the color to watch it actually looks like in-person.

The Blue Basin is fossil-rich formation composed of compressed volcanic ash. The real draw of the basin, however, aren’t so much the fossils as the badlands that hold them. The eroded hillsides have a blue-greenish hue, giving the location an otherworldly feel.

The Blue Basin is located in the Sheep Rock Unit, about three miles north of the Thomas Condon Museum of Paleontology.

Blue Basin Trails

Couple standing in front of Blue Basin formation.

Two trails offer access to the Blue Basin, and the trails give two different experiences. 

Island in Time (Rating 5/5)

Blue Basin's otherworldly colored rocks.

The Island in Time trail is the most kid-friendly of the two trails. The easy trail is 1.3 miles round trip and takes you in among the bizarre landscape of the Blue Basin. Interpretive signs and fossil displays explain the contributions of the Blue Basin and its Turtle Cove Formation to our understanding of ancient life. 

Fossils along the trail at Blue Basin.

The best part of the experience is the wonder of walking among the green badlands. We couldn’t get over the color show and took picture after picture of the ridges, the green creek, and the trail under our feet. 

The blue green rocks at the Blue Basin in John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon.
Jennifer matched the hiking trail! Again, this photo was only slightly edited.

The Island in Time trail also offers some great perspective on geologic phenomena. You can’t help but notice a tall, pyramid-shaped stack of layers that stands on the other side of the valley. That enormous mountain is actually a tall stack of several basalt layers formed by numerous lava flows. 

Beautiful rock formations in John Day Fossil Beds NM, Oregon.
The pyramid-like stack of basalt stands in the middle-right background of this photo.

The wonder is that the John Day fossil formations developed before these lava flows. That means that the river actually cut through all of those lava layers before it exposed any of the fossil formations such as those seen at Blue Basin. That’s a mind-boggling amount of erosion!

Blue Basin Overlook Trail (Unrated)

More blue green rocks in the Blue Basin area at Painted Hills National Park.

We didn’t have the opportunity to hike Blue Basin Overlook, however, I’ve heard people rave about this trail. The Trail brings you up over the Blue Basin Formation and provides a great view of the John Day River Valley.

Turquoise colored rocks. John Day Fossil Beds NM, Oregon.

The Blue Basin Overlook trail is a moderate to strenuous trail with elevation gains of over 600 feet. The rugged trail is 3.25 miles long round trip, and probably isn’t the best choice for a young family. 

5. Clarno Unit

Fossil lovers won’t want to miss the Clarno Unit! Three short trails cover different areas of the park, and on two of them you’ll be able to see and get close to fossils of plants in the rocks. The epic volcanic rock formations are also well worth seeing.

Geologic Time Trail (3/5)

Sign in front of the Palisades at the Clarno Unit of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

This 0.5 mile trail connects the picnic area with the Trail of Fossils. Along the way it offers great views of the different pillar-like formations (called the Palisades) that make up the Clarno Unit. Interpretive signs help visitors to learn more about the area.

Trail of Fossils (rating: 5/5)

Brian points at fossils embedded in giant boulder on the Trail of Fossils at Clarno Unit

This 0.25 mile trail goes over uneven ground but brings you right up to many different fossils embedded in the rock formations.

two fingers next to a fossilized leaf imprint
Detail of a fossilized leaf

We were astounded to see leaf fossils that were so detailed you might think they had been made yesterday! No collecting is permitted, obviously.

Clarno Arch Trail (rating 2/5)

Clarno Arch Trail end of the Trail sign with Arch above

This 0.5 mile trail climbs steeply to the base of the Palisades for a view of a stone arch. That’s it!

General tips for visiting John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

Overlooking the Painted Hills from the Carroll Rim Trail. John Day Fossil Beds NM, near Mitchell, Oregon.
The Painted Hills and John Day Fossil Beds are truly epic.

Fuel up and bring refreshments

Towns and services are few and far between in this part of Oregon. Rural gas stations and restaurants offer limited hours and sometimes close early. Be sure that you have a full tank of gas, plenty of water, and lots of snacks before venturing off Interstate 84.

Small town building. Mitchell, Oregon.
It’s a good idea to call ahead whenever you’re planning to stop at a small-town establishment.

Don’t Hurt the Dirt! #DontHurtTheDirt

It’s tempting to veer off the trail and explore the amazing fossil beds. However, the fossil beds are actually quite fragile. Use the opportunity to teach your kids about the value of preservation and scholarship. 

Beautiful but fragile soils at Painted Hills unit.

Preview and prepare with your kids

Your trip is a valuable opportunity to get your kids interested in science and technology. However, the Fossil Beds provide an enormous amount of information to take in (and teach)!

Get your kids involved and excited early on so that they’ll be ready to explore what they’ve been learning about. A Lost World: The John Day Fossil Beds is a book written especially for young children (3-7 years). This digital book is an easy way to get your kids curious and excited about the Painted Hills and the John Day Fossil Beds.

Our Kindle book is a great way to get your kids ready for your trip to the John Day Fossil Beds.

A roadtrip to remember

Whether you call it the Painted Mountains, Painted Hills, or John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, your trip will be time well spent. It’s hard to go wrong in this amazing, adventurous area. Enjoy your trip and then share with us some of your highlights. Happy travels!

Picture Gorge basalt columns
Picture Gorge basalt columns

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© Copyright Brian A. Warren 2022-2025. Updated June 11, 2025.

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About the author

Brian Warren is a native of California and has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada, and several other countries. He's husband to Jennifer, Dad of six children, and taught middle school history for several years. His special interests include craft beers, the American Old West, and geology. Brian is also an online marketing specialist and cofounder of Dinkum Tribe, a website dedicated to healthy, happy families. Feel free to send Brian a message at [email protected].

Comments

  1. This is a great guide! You got to see so much more than we did. We unfortunately only had about an hour but that’s all we could take since we visited in the middle of summer and the weather was unbearably hot!

  2. Wow, the Painted Hills look unreal! I appreciate you saying that you should give yourself a few hours to explore because one hour wouldn’t do it justice. Adding this to my bucketlist!

  3. Really informative guide and absolutely love the pictures!! If we ever get the chance to visit the Painted Hills National Park we will definitely use your guide, thank you.

  4. I am glad I read about Painted Hills in Oregon. This would be a great one for us to visit the next time we head down the west coast. I love the wide variety in the colours in the rocks. The view from the Overlook Trail looks stunning. And the fossils would be fun to see.

  5. Wow this place is stunning and the colours must be amazing to see in person!! Would be definitely I place I would love to see if visiting the US!! Adding to my list!

  6. I love how informative this guide was! It was very inspiring to discover the place! The painted Hills look like a splendid place to take some epic photos

    1. Exactly! All of our photos were shot just using a basic iPhone, but I can’t wait to go with my DSLR next time!

  7. Wow, I have been to Oregon but never saw Painted Hills National Park. This looks like a great place to take kids, and would be ideal for an educational spring break trip. You gave a very detailed account, and truly the ultimate guide!

    1. Yes we hope to take our kids there on a school break in the fall or spring.

  8. This is definitely on my Oregon bucket list, such a beautiful state with so much to see!

  9. Wow this is amazing! I didn’t realise this existed in Oregon! Definitely on my list to visit 😁😁

  10. Wow, I had no idea that a place like the Painted Hills existed – would you look at those incredible hues! Your pictures have me swooning! This is exactly my kind of a vacation – outdoorsy and surrounded by natural bounty. Thanks for writing about this, definitely saving it in hopes of visiting soon 🙂

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