John Day National Monument - Clarno Unit

The Clarno Unit is a lesser visited section of the Painted Hills National Monument is in unique setting a bit off of the beaten path. It is located 18 miles west of the town of Fossil, Oregon. The main feature is the Palisades, the most prominent landforms which are volcanic lahars, or mudflows, that formed 54-40 million years ago in a lush semi-tropical rainforest environment. Quite different from the existing ecosystem typical of Central Oregon's near-desert environment. This area had burnt a month or so prior to our arrival which added to the rugged impression of the surrounding landscape. On the trail fossilized plants can be seen along the cliff walls and in some of the boulders. While hiking we saw and heard several rattle snakes but they all kept their distance from us. There is a nice shaded picnic area as well as restrooms. It is quite a long way to the nearest gas station on wandering roads. The remoteness made for wonderful star gazing and with the arid climate we had several good nights of good vision. Although it is a bit out of the way in regards to the other two units of the Monument, the Clano units uniqueness makes it an interesting part of the of a must see Oregon spectacle.
7 years ago (17-12-2017)