One of the advantages of residing in Portland, Oregon is its central location from many interesting parks, preserves, and natural curiosities. A couple of weeks ago, amidst a break in the clouds, I made a weekend gateway for the Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in central Oregon.
Located about 75 miles east of Bend, “Painted Hills is named after the colorful layers of its hills corresponding to various geological eras, formed when the area was an ancient river floodplain” (Wikipedia).
