# Smith Rock, the Painted Hills and John Day Fossil Beds

> 3-day road trip of about 281 km (175 mi) with 8 stops, from Bend to John Day. About 3 h 07 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b17-painted-hills/

**At a glance:** 3-day road trip of about 281 km (175 mi) with 8 stops, from Bend to John Day. About 3 h 07 min of driving in total. From Bend to the climbing cliffs of Smith Rock and east on US-26 to painted clay hills, fossil beds and a Chinese herbal store in John Day.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 281 km (175 mi) |
| Driving | 3 h 07 min |
| Suggested days | 3 |
| Stops | 8 |
| Route | Bend → John Day |
| States | OR |
| Updated | May 29, 2026 |

## Route description

From Bend, US-97 leads north to Terrebonne and the turn for Smith Rock State Park, about 40 minutes away. Orange cliffs rise above a bend in the Crooked River; the Misery Ridge Trail climbs steeply to views of Monkey Face, and the river trail is flatter. Arrive early on weekends, as parking fills; there is a day-use fee.

Continue east to Prineville and follow US-26 over the Ochoco Mountains toward Mitchell. West of Mitchell, signed side roads lead north to the Painted Hills Unit, about 9 miles from town, of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. Short trails such as Painted Cove and the Overlook show the red and gold bands best in the evening light. Stay on the trails; footprints scar the clay for years.

From Mitchell, US-26 continues east to the OR-19 junction at Picture Gorge; turn north on OR-19 for the Sheep Rock Unit. The Thomas Condon Paleontology Center has fossils and a working lab, and entry is free. A few miles north, the Island in Time trail at Blue Basin enters a bowl of blue-green claystone. Services are very sparse; fill up in Prineville and Mitchell.

Return south to US-26 and drive east through Dayville and Mount Vernon to John Day, about 40 minutes. Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site preserves the store and clinic of two Chinese immigrants, with tours from May to October. John Day has motels, supermarkets and fuel; Clyde Holliday State Recreation Site, a few miles west, has a campground by the river.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Bend** (OR)
2. **Smith Rock State Park** (Terrebonne, OR): Orange tuff cliffs above a bend of the Crooked River, a famous rock-climbing area. The Misery Ridge trail climbs steeply to views of Monkey Face; there is a day-use fee and parking fills on spring weekends.
3. **Prineville** (OR)
4. **Painted Hills** (Mitchell, OR): Rounded hills banded red, gold and black in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. Short trails start from the overlook; colours are strongest after rain and in low light; entry is free.
5. **Thomas Condon Paleontology Center** (Dayville, OR): The visitor center of the John Day Fossil Beds, with fossils of ancient horses, camels and sabre-toothed cats and a working lab behind glass. It is on OR-19 in the Sheep Rock Unit; entry is free.
6. **Blue Basin** (Dayville, OR): A bowl of blue-green claystone in the Sheep Rock Unit. The Island in Time trail follows a creek into the basin past fossil replicas; take water, as summer afternoons are very hot.
7. **Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site** (John Day, OR): The preserved store and clinic of two Chinese immigrants who served miners and ranchers from the 1880s to the 1940s, with shelves of herbs still in place. Guided tours run from May to October.
8. **John Day** (OR)

## FAQs

**How long is Smith Rock, the Painted Hills and John Day Fossil Beds?**
3-day road trip of about 281 km (175 mi) with 8 stops, from Bend to John Day. About 3 h 07 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Smith Rock, the Painted Hills and John Day Fossil Beds?**
We suggest 3 days: about 3 h 07 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Smith Rock, the Painted Hills and John Day Fossil Beds start and end?**
It starts in Bend and ends in John Day.

**Which states does Smith Rock, the Painted Hills and John Day Fossil Beds pass through?**
Oregon.