Located in the high desert of central Oregon, The Painted Hills is one of Oregon’s most spectacular natural wonders. This ancient place is full of colorful rolling hills that will make you feel like you’ve landed on another planet.
Located near the town of Mitchell, The Painted Hills is a wonderfully unique natural wonder that will blow you away.
flickr/ Bill Young
The hills are over 35 million years old, made up of layered ash, minerals, and soils that gradually shifted and reformed over the millennia.
flickr/ Robert Shea
This gorgeous place draws visitors from across the state and beyond. Bright colors are streaked through the naked hills, creating an enchanting environment that’s simply unparalleled.
flickr/ Loren Kerns
There are many wonderful trails winding through the unusual landscape. Here’s a photo of the Painted Cove Trail, where you can see some of the hills up close from a boardwalk.
flickr/ Katherine H
The hills change color throughout the year, depending on the weather, light, and humidity.
flickr/ Loren Kerns
The patterns and colors in the soil are absolutely mesmerizing.
flickr/ Lucas Jans
The Painted Hills is one of the three units that makes up the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. There are two other unique sections of the monument you can visit as well: the Sheep Rock Unit and the Clarno Unit.
flickr/ Kathy & sam
This spectacular place will drop your jaw. It’s a great destination for an unforgettable day trip.
flickr/ pgc97201
The Painted Hills can be found along Burnt Branch Road, 9 miles northwest of the town of Mitchell. Get directions on google maps here.
flickr/ Bill Young
flickr/ Robert Shea
flickr/ Loren Kerns
flickr/ Katherine H
flickr/ Lucas Jans
flickr/ Kathy & sam
flickr/ pgc97201
Find out about more unique hidden gems in Oregon here.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
