ROAD TRIP:
JOHN DAY FOSSIL BEDS
NATIONAL MONUMENT
April 20, 2022
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument (JDFB) encompasses 14,000 acres in three separate "units": Painted Hills; Sheep Rock and Clarno. The colorful landscapes of JDFB showcase 40 million years of Oregon's ancient history. I visited two of the units: Painted Hills and Sheep Rock. The roundtrip distance traveled today from John Day (the town) was 200 miles.
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PHOTOS
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MASCALL FORMATION OVERLOOK
The Mascall Formation Overlook (2,500 ft elevation) on US Highway 26 offers scenic views of 16 million-year-old formations. After departing the overlook, I turned off Highway 26 into Picture Gorge on the way to the Historic Cant Ranch at the base of Sheep Rock (3,400 ft elevation). 
View of the John Day Valley, Picture Gorge & Sheep Rock
CANT SHEEP RANCH
The Cant Sheep Ranch is part of the Sheep Rock Unit of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. In 1910, Scottish immigrants James and Elizabeth Cant purchased approximately 700 acres of land and established their ranch. By 1916, they and their four children were outgrowing the old house: Plans for a larger house were ordered through the mail, and lumber was milled at the nearby town of Mitchell. The building was completed in 1917.
The Cants cultivated a vegetable garden and fruit orchards and raised hogs and chickens. Near the river, fields were cultivated with wheat, alfalfa, and other crops that were irrigated with ditches. A log cabin built by the original settler still stands today (See window photo).
Over time, more land was added to the Cant property until it encompassed nearly 6,000 acres. The family operated the ranch until the early 1970s, after which it was sold to the National Park Service.
Viewed from Cant ranch house.
Dirty Windows Frame Sheep Rock
These dirty windows call for Windex. The windows are in a log house built by the prior settler. The log house can be seen at the rear of the ranch house in the "Cant Ranch House" photo above.
Originally the Cant family touring car (make unknown). This vehicle was eventually converted to a working-ranch vehicle or "go-devil" and now is part of the ranch house landscaping.
The engine of the go-devil.
PAINTED HILLS
The Painted Hills Unit is part of the of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. The hills get their name from the delicately colored stratifications in the soil. The yellows, golds, blacks and reds of the Painted Hills are best seen in the late afternoon. Tones and hue may appear to change from one visit to another, as the claystones differ with ever-changing light and moisture levels.
MITCHELL
Mitchell was founded in 1873 and named after John Mitchell, a politician. The Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is about 9 miles northwest of Mitchell. Elevation: 2,800 feet. Population: 130. The little town of Mitchell began to grow in the narrow Bridge Creek Valley as loggers, gold miners and ranchers settled the area. The main street was known for its rough and tumble frontier life and at one time numbered five saloons and a house of ill repute. This part of town was given the nickname “Tiger Town” while the respectable folk constructed homes and churches on the hill above Main Street, which would become known as “Piety Hill”.
Location: "Tiger Town" in Main Street Mitchell, OR.
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COPYRIGHT
These photographs are the property of Leon Jackson and are protected by copyright laws. Photographs may not be downloaded or reproduced in any way without the written permission of Leon Jackson. © 2022 Leon Jackson. All Rights Reserved.
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3 comments:
Painted Hills at sunset is most special.
Mark
Wonderful, as usual. Thank you.
Nice shots, Leon.I've stayed in Mitchell a couple of times. You got unlucky with the weather. The first time I shot in the Painted Hills it was overcast. The second time I shot there it was sunny and the photos really popped.
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