Miles: 1.6 miles RT
Elevation Gain/Highest: 375ft/2430ft
Favorite Eats After Hike: Crush Cider, Walking Man Brewery, Backwoods Brewery, Thunder Island Brewing, Cascade Locks Ale House, Farm Stand Natural Foods, Dick’s Primal Burger, Ten Depot Cafe, Spork, The Brown Owl, or just Pack A Cooler. You can learn more about these places in my Must Hike Must Eat Eating Out Guide.
Find out current conditions and as always, practice Leave No Trace. Pretty please.
Hike details:
Most people who visit the Painted Hills Unit of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument take the walk up trails from the parking lot with little gain or mileage. But not you!
The Carroll Rim Trail starts at the junction of Bear Creek Road and the Painted Hills Overlook parking lot. It takes a long switchback up to a knob with 360 degree views of this unique geological formation. You will find two benches along the way for sitting and taking in all the colorful scenery. The trail is rocky in spots so watch your steps.
There are no trees so bring sun protection!
My trip report:
5/31/2020
Coming back from a rock hounding trip into Central Oregon, we stopped at the Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds NM for a leg stretcher. The overlook was busy but I noticed this empty trail on the other side of the road that looked perfect for escaping the crowds!
It didn’t take long to walk up the trail and turn a the notch to continue along the ridge of the knob. We could not only see back at the overlook landscape, but up the road at the Painted Cove Trail. It was just as beautiful as I had seen in pictures!
We took a few minutes to drive the rest of the road and look at the other formations which were a range of hues from yellow to red to green.
Directions: The Painted Hills Unit of John Day Fossil Beds NM is located 9 miles west of Mitchell, Oregon (northeast of Bend, Oregon). Turn north off SR 26 (Ochoco HWY) onto Burnt Ranch Road. Bear Creek Road will be on the right marked for Painted Hills. There is no water or a visitor center but there are vault toilets where you turn off Burnt Ranch Road.
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Need some eating out suggestions when friends want to stop after a hike? I have a Pacific Northwest Eating Guide here.
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