The Painted Hills of Oregon

Radd Icenoggle

May 28, 2021

Botanizing,Hiking,Oregon 2021

It’s that time of year again….the time when we start itching for an adventure, and to scratch that itch, we journeyed to Oregon for a 5-day loop in the northwestern portion of this beautiful state. Our first destination was the isolated, geologic phenom known as the Painted Hills. Imagine seeing millions of years of history revealed in the hundreds of layers of earth, alternating yellow, gold, black and red.

As one of the three units of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, the Painted Hills owe their name to the vividly colored stratifications resulting from an ancient process of ash-covered layers of decomposed vegetation, which was then sandwiched by an additional organic matter. Over time, this cycle of deposition created a multitude of geological layers, each boasting its own distinct color, from red and orange to black and gray, and even a hint of purple in a few. Fossils of early horses, camels, and rhinoceroses have been unearthed in the Painted Hills, making it a destination for vertebrate paleontologists.

Best viewed in the afternoon, the yellows, golds, blacks, and reds of the Painted Hills are mind-blowing when placed within the context of geologic time and the ever-changing environment through the eras.

Here is a quick rundown of the various conditions and mineral compositions that created the various layers of the Painted Hills

Red/oranges: Laterite, rich in iron and aluminum, formed during more tropical periods with increased humidity and warmth.
Yellows: Also laterite, but formed during drier and cooler times.
Blacks: Lignite formed from vegetation that grew along the floodplain.
Grays: Shale, mudstone, and siltstone

The early inhabitants of north-central Oregon were Sahaptin-speaking peoples as well as the Northern Paiutes. All were hunter-gatherers of resources such as elk, huckleberries, and salmon.

The Hike

The best views in the Painted Hills are seen from the Carroll Rim Trail. This easy hike climbs from the main road up to the top of Carroll Rim, where we were treated to expansive vistas of geologic wonderland below.

From the small parking area at the entrance to the Painted Hills Overlook, we crossed the road and started ascending the gravel trail, which gradually narrowed and became a dirt track traversing the hillside. About a quarter-mile up, there was a bench (of course, we didn’t stop here…there’s a ridge ahead).

The trail climbed a little more steeply beyond the bench as it headed toward a small pass. Moving through the pass, the trail turned to the left and followed the ridge at a shallow angle. As we enjoyed the hike along the ridge, vivid views of the Painted Hills popped into focus. Arriving at the top and end of the trail, a great 360-degree vista left us thoroughly awed. We could see the entire Painted Hills area, including the Painted Cove, Fossil Leaf Hill Trail, Red Scar Hill, and the mountains beyond.