An RV road trip from central Oregon to the northeastern corner of the state is a journey through unique geological formations and early American history that delivers you into the Wallowa Mountains, one of the most breathtaking mountain ranges in the American West. I recently made this jaunt with my husband, Mark, in our 36-foot fifth- wheel trailer, and we were utterly smitten by the beauty and tranquility of this quieter side of Oregon. Pointing our rig northeast from Bend, Oregon, we arrived in Prineville and followed a wonderful, winding road through craggy lava beds along the Lower Crooked River (Route 27). This is a favorite area for anglers, and we watched them standing by the water's edge, their RVs parked just steps away in the campsites that line riverbanks overlooking the river. Continuing northeast from Prineville, we arrived at the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. This is a huge National Monument that is so large that it’s split into three
Compared to traveling in our comfy fifth-wheel, the early pioneers didn’t have it so easy.
The Painted Hills Unit in John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.
separate units, each showcasing a different aspect of the unique geological features in this area. Two units are easy to reach from the road that was taking us from west to east, Route 26, and we stopped to marvel at the vivid red and pink sandstone mounds in the Painted Hills Unit. Further on, we hiked into a glorious blue-green rock canyon in the Sheep Rock Unit. The delicate rock formations here bear a striking resemblance to beach sand drip castles that kids make, but their size is such that we were sure they’d been made by the gods. Nearby, the Cant Family Ranch offers a fascinating glimpse into ranch life a century ago. James Cant and his wife Elizabethwere early 20th-century Scottish immigrants who raised sheep on 6,000 acres in this very remote land. While we had to make do without Internet access for miles, the Cants eeked out a life for themselves and the ranch hands they housed with nothing but bare land and their own labor. While James kept the ranch hands busy shearing
No matter where you travel in Eastern Oregon, trails take you through beautiful vistas.
10 COAST TO COAST SUMMER 2016
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online