Oregon Diaries: Painted Hills

Visiting Painted Hills has been on my bucket list for ages now! There are several sections within the park, but you can easily visit all of it in one day. Upon arrival, you are greeted with vibrant layers of red and yellow that stretch for miles.

The colorful layers are due to the changing climate patterns that took place over the years. Take a walk through the trails and you’ll learn how each color was formed.

Painted Cove Trail

The main attraction in Painted Hills is definitely the Painted Cove trail. The moment you step onto the walkway, it feels as if you’re transported to Mars!

Painted Cove is an easy 1/4 mile loop. It’s short and sweet, but for a few minutes you’re inside a little bubble of history as this is the only spot in the park where all the hills are completely red.

Painted Hills Overlook

You cannot skip the overlook! If you visit anywhere in the park the top two spots are the overlook and the cove. You can drive up to a view point, but the view is better along the trail.

It was sprinkling by the time we got to the top, but worth it as its only a 1/2 mile loop! We watched as a rainbow crossed over the mountains before heading back.

REMEMBER to respect the land and hike responsibly!

There are signs everywhere reminding you to stay on the trails! You’ll see footprints on the hills from those who ignored the messages. The landscape is so fragile, those prints will stay there for a long time, which ruins the experience for everyone else.