John Day Painted Hills
Central Oregon
JOHN DAY PAINTED HILLS
A BRIEF SUMMARY OF JOHN DAY PAINTED HILLS
The Painted Hills at the John Day Fossil Beds are one of the more unique places I have ever visited (listed as one of the 7 wonders of Oregon). The painted hills are only about a square mile, but offer tons of interesting photographic opportunities.
The location is a long drive from any large town and is not easy to get to. However, I would highly recommend making the time and effort, as you will be rewarded with some great photographs.
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
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DATA POINTS INCLUDED WITH JOHN DAY PAINTED HILLS SUMMARY
I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 1 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). The public access area around the Painted Hills is about 1 mile from start to finish. However, the area that is most photographed is an easy ¼ mile walk from the parking lot.
This is mainly a straightforward shot, but there are different views based on where you stand along the road/walkway. I would suggest scouting the location several hours before the golden hour to find your composition(s). What makes this shot special are the unique shapes and colors.
The above shot was taken with a 50mm lens, but I have seen many images from this location taken with both super wide angle and short telephoto lenses (depending on the composition you are looking for.)
2,086 Ft. Elevation
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KMZ Trail File
Directions
Best Time of Day to Shoot
Best Time of Year to Shoot
Equipment Needed
Permits Required
Direction of Shot
Google Maps Birds-Eye-View
Number of Photographers to Expect
Cell Service
Overnight Lodging/Camping
Nearby Restaurants
Area Guides and Workshops
Other Resources
LOCATION SUMMARIES WRITTEN BY PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
