Painted Hills OR Boondocking?

[nina_70]

So, we're headed to the Painted Hills & I'm trying to see if there's anywhere we can boondock in the area. I had originally planned on staying at Ochoco Divide National Forest Campground, but it isn't open until June (argh!). John Day has no campground and the county park at Mitchel looks too small for our size.

Any ideas?

[NinerBikes]

These threads give me wanderlust.

[nina_70]

profdant139 wrote:
Hugemoth, I thought that my little trailer was a semi-offroad ultralight, but yours can apparently fly, too! What are you using for a tow vehicle -- a 747? 😉

Seriously, though, that is an amazing and thought-provoking shot! You've got to wonder how those alternating layers were deposited.

The hills are actually the result of a massive volcanic ash fall from the Cascade Mountains over 33 millions years ago. Natural processes changed the deposits into a type of clay (Bentonite) that expands as it absorbs water creating the close-up popcorn-like appearance. The colors are the result of minerals -> red from iron oxides, yellow from iron & magnesium oxides and lavender from rhyolitic lava.

[nina_70]

hugemoth wrote:
Here is an aerial view of the Painted Hills taken from my ultralight.

WOW!! That picture is AMAZING!!

Here's one I took from ground-level:

[profdant139]

Hugemoth, I thought that my little trailer was a semi-offroad ultralight, but yours can apparently fly, too! What are you using for a tow vehicle -- a 747? 😉

Seriously, though, that is an amazing and thought-provoking shot! You've got to wonder how those alternating layers were deposited. The red stuff is iron-bearing, and the tan is not. Clearly, these hills were carved from sedimentary rock that accumulated underwater. So that means that sometimes (but not all the time), the shallow sea or lake formed the drainage for a mountain range that contained iron.

Then, somehow, the river that carried the iron into the sea was diverted for a very long time, and the layer of tan sand covered the layer of iron. Then the "iron river" came back. And was shut off. And came back. Judging by those badlands, this happened at least eight times, at irregular intervals. (Sometimes, geology can be like a time-lapse movie.) How could a river turn on and off like that, for thousands or millions of years at a time?

Alternatively, the reddish layers could be beds of volcanic ash. Maybe that is more plausible -- perhaps from successive eruptions from Mt. Hood? But Wikipedia says that the red stuff is not ash -- it is "laterite," weathered iron-rich soil. Quite a puzzle!

[hugemoth]

Here is an aerial view of the Painted Hills taken from my ultralight.

[greenrvgreen]

This is great looking country. I'm putting this on my bucket list, once the danger passes from meteor strikes.

[nina_70]

hugemoth wrote:
Here's a pic I took a couple weeks ago of the boondocking site near the Painted Hills. I'm standing at the far end of where you can drive and the creek is to the left behind the bushes. The road is to the right and above and you can see the road cut in the distance.

Absolutely fabulous. Thanks so much for sharing it!

[hugemoth]

Here's a pic I took a couple weeks ago of the boondocking site near the Painted Hills. I'm standing at the far end of where you can drive and the creek is to the left behind the bushes. The road is to the right and above and you can see the road cut in the distance.

[nina_70]

hugemoth wrote:
There is a good spot next to the creek and just off the road to Painted Hills. It has flat spots, grass, fire rings, and several trees. It's a mile or so from Hwy 26, keep a lookout on the left and you should see it. Go a bit past it and you'll find the access road.

Thanks so much hugemoth! That's right around where the BLM ranger recommended we go, so it's nice to hear a second recommendation for the same area.

[hugemoth]

There is a good spot next to the creek and just off the road to Painted Hills. It has flat spots, grass, fire rings, and several trees. It's a mile or so from Hwy 26, keep a lookout on the left and you should see it. Go a bit past it and you'll find the access road.

[nina_70]

Thanks Vermilye...we're at Clyde Holiday now (and we like it), but wanted to get closer to the Painted Hills for hiking/photography there (Clyde Holiday is over 70 miles from the Painted Hills overlook...way too far for us). I've got a lead on a spot that should only be around 15 mins away, so that's where we'll head next.

[vermilye]

While not boon docking, Clyde Holliday State Park is 8 miles west of John Day - $24.00 per day with electric & water...

[profdant139]

Green, the chances are one in 20 billion, or even lower, and the odds are the same whether you are in your back yard or the wilds of Eastern Oregon -- might as well be out in the open, with nice dark clear skies, where you can see what's coming and duck! 😉

[greenrvgreen]

Prof, you're just asking to get hit by a meteor.