Video
Your Guide to Painted Hills
Transcript
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument: The Trails at the Painted Hills Unit A map of eastern Oregon John Day Fossil Beds is made up of three separate units: Clarno, Painted Hills, and Sheep Rock. A map of the Painted Hills Unit. The Painted Hills Unit is closest to the town of Mitchell, OR. It is about 2 hours from Bend, OR and 4 hours from Portland, OR. At the Painted Hills Unit, there is a grassy picnic area, restrooms, and five hiking trails. The road through the park is a well-maintained gravel road. This picture shows the red and tan hues that make up the colorful hills called the Painted Hills. They are fossil soils from deciduous forests, about 33 million years ago. The soils are very fragile so please stay on the trail and Don’t Hurt The Dirt! The Picnic Area at the Painted Hills features shady trees, a lawn, and bathrooms. Be sure to stop by the ranger station kiosk to pick up a brochure and learn more about the park. This picture was taken at the end of the Painted Hills Overlook trail. The trail is over 0.5 mile roundtrip and features interpretive signs, views of the Painted Hills, and several benches along the trail. There is no turnaround for RV or oversized vehicles after the Painted Hills Overlook parking area. Surface is packed dirt, Max. trail grade is 15%, Max. cross slope is 3%, Min. trail width is 43 inches This picture was taken at the top of the Carroll Rim Trail. The trail climbs over 400 feet of elevation to a panorama view of the Painted Hills. Overflow parking is available at the Painted Hills Overlook. Surface is packed dirt, Max. trail grade is 22%, Max. cross slope is 8.5%, Min. trail width is 15 inches This picture was taken at the beginning of the Painted Cove Trail and shows the portion of the trail that has a level boardwalk to cross over sensitive soils. The trail is a 0.25 loop and features amazing color palettes of vibrant rocks. Surface is packed dirt and boardwalk, Max. trail grade is 28%, Max. cross slope is 10%, Min. trail width is 39 inches The Leaf Trail is about 0.25 mile roundtrip. The gray and white Leaf Hill pictured has been extensively excavated and studied by paleontologists. Interpretive signs along the trail explain more of its history. Surface is packed dirt, Max. trail grade is 18%, Max. cross slope is 10%, Min. trail width is 42 inches
This picture shows the vibrant red and yellow hill found towards the end of the Red Scar Knoll Trail. This is a 0.25 mile roundtrip mostly level trail. After the Red Scar Knoll Trail parking area, the road ends at a locked gate within a mile. Surface is packed dirt, Max. trail grade is 12%, Max. cross slope is 5%, Min. trail width is 38 inches Thank you for visiting John Day Fossil Beds and while you are here, Don’t Hurt the Dirt and Stay on trails. For more information call us at 541-987-2333 or e-mail us at joda_interpretation@nps.gov. You can follow us on Facebook Twitter, and Instagram
Description
Learn about the trails and features found at the Painted Hills Unit, one of the most popular units of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.
Duration
3 minutes, 9 seconds
Credit
NPS
Date Created
05/16/2020
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