summer2018-OR-around Madras

Okay, I'll just say this right up front: Nothing in Oregon will ever beat the incredible, breath-taking beauty of its coastline, top to bottom. Ever. However, now that that's out of the way, let me try to find the words to describe the stark contrast that makes up central Oregon, at the eastern foot of the Cascade Mountains.

It's a completely different feel, of course, on the east side. The terrain is constantly flowing from forested hills to valleys, back to hills, and always with a river running through, over or around it. And with those rivers come sparkling blue lakes and cascading waterfalls.

Such is the area that these pictures represent around the city of Madras. The two highlights in this area are Smith Rock and one unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. But I also visited Steelhead Falls, and I watched bungee jumpers take off from a bridge over the Crooked River. AND! Get this: I got my first glimpse of Mount Jefferson which had been hiding behind a cloak of smoke for the first 3 days I was in viewing range.

Enjoy the beauty, and if you've not been to this dramatic region of Oregon to visit - for Heaven's sakes, GO!

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is spread throughout eastern and central Oregon in three separate locations, or units. I visited the Painted Hills Unit, off Highway 26 east of Madras. The terrain of this national monument is amazingly colorful and represents 40 million years of history. Not only is volcanic activity evident, but so is ancient plant and animal life. Research and discoveries continue among the fossil beds that were named after the river that runs through the area. They were first discovered in the late 1800s.

Most of the trails at the Painted Hills Unit are short, fairly level and always worth the steps. The Painted Cove Trail is a 1/4-mile loop, most of it on a boardwalk. Take a short climb off from the boardwalk to get a spectacular overview of the vast array of colors before you.

The drive along the Highway 26 between Madras and the fossil beds was interesting and scenic. A few ranches thrown in between the hills and high-desert sage brush. Also, traveling through the Ochoco National Forest took me over a low mountain pass and offered views of the reservoir, which when I passed, was pretty low.

Steelhead Falls is located along the Deschutes River near Terrebonne and the Crooked River Ranch. From the parking lot, a half-mile trail leads to the falls. With the river below and rocky pinnacles above, the trail is easy to follow. Shoes that grip sand is a good idea, as the slightly downhill sections can be slippery.

Cliff-jumping is popular downstream from the falls and can be watched from the trail.

Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint is a park just off the Highway 97 between Madras and Redmond. Its 300-foot vertical basalt walls line the Crooked River below. Bungee jumping off one of the three visible bridges was enjoyable to watch.

P.S. Ogden was a well-known fur trapper who lived from 1794 until 1854. He led a Hudson's Bay Company on a trapping expedition through Oregon, making himself a prominent figure in the state. As well, the city of Ogden, Utah is named after him.

So, I was watching for the sunset one night and looked up to see a partial sun. My pea brain told me the missing part had to be behind a mountain even though I couldn't see one. This was my first indication that I was terribly close to Mt. Jefferson. I slept on the idea that perhaps tomorrow the smoke would clear and I'd have the mountain views that I came to this area to see. And....

Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne, Oregon, When I first heard of Smith Rock, I imagined a rock. You know, like a boulder, a very big rock. But as I drove within view of it (and I was still several miles away), my jaw dropped and my eyes bulged. Calling it just a rock is like calling the Grand Canyon just a canyon. It sits in all its glory on more than 600 acres, rising majestically out of the surrounding and otherwise flat landscape.
Imposing and massive, it's worth going out of your way to see, and anyone who enjoys photography will have a field day.
Most of the rock faces are crushed volcanic ash that occurred 30 million years ago. The cliffs and spires rise 3000 feet and are popular with rock-climbers. Hiking trails are abundant as well. The Crooked River winds its way around portions of the base of the rock.

I returned to Smith Rock twice after my first visit. Once, to get some late afternoon shots and then again the next morning. At first I was following the road signs to get to the park, but found a different that took me closer to the west face. This shot was along the way.