Painted Hills

Painted Hills is a unit of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in central Oregon, about 14 kilometers (9 miles) north-west of Mitchell. The rounded hills show bands of red, orange and yellow with black streaks. The lowest layer is red ash, above it lies pea-green clay, and the top layers are buff; the colors come from ash and debris from many volcanic eruptions of varying chemical makeup. The monument was officially established in 1975, and the unit covers about 1,270 hectares (3,130 acres).

Short trails start at several points: the Painted Hills Overlook Trail (0.8 kilometer or 0.5 mile round trip), the Painted Cove Trail (0.4 kilometer or 0.25 mile, with a boardwalk), the Leaf Hill Trail with leaf fossils, and the Carroll Rim Trail (2.6 kilometers or 1.6 miles round trip) with all-round views. Summer and fall are the best seasons, and in the afternoon the hills glow red and yellow; in winter snow can hide the colors. Stay on the trails, because climbing the hills and collecting fossils are prohibited. The access road is gravel, and cattle may be on the road. Entry is free.

In July 2026 wildfires (the Rowe Creek Complex) burned about one third of the unit at low to moderate intensity; the monument has been open again since August 6, 2026 (as of August 2026). Before you go, check the National Park Service for current notices on closures, fire danger and smoke.