Trip Report

Wow! Here are just a few things you missed by not going on this fantastic trip: small group on a large bus; blueberry cobbler at Paulina Lake Lodge; exploring Oregon’s diverse geology and history; Bullock’s Oriole family nesting in Elm trees and Raven family nesting on cliffs along the John Day River; discovering fossils along the trail at Clarno Palisades; spectacular scenery; Twin Virgins at the Oxbow Restaurant and Saloon.

This busy four day trip to John Day and Bend found us traveling through lava fields, high desert country, Ponderosa Pine forests, along the beautiful John Day and Deschutes Rivers, high prairies, up mountains and down into canyons. Sometimes we drove for miles without seeing another vehicle. We saw a few antelope, elk, deer, jack rabbits, various birds, many cattle, horses and sheep. As we traveled along we learned about how some communities received their names. We experienced a variety of weather, but each time we made a stop at a place of interest or to take a short hike it wasn’t raining. How lucky is that!

Museums we visited: Kam Wah Chung in John Day, Dewitt Museum at Prairie City, High Desert Museum near Bend, Lava Lands Visitor Center. Other fun stops were: a lunch break in Fossil; a quick visit to Shaniko; the amazing view from Mascall Overlook; walking several trails in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument; talking to a few of the local people along the way. There is such an incredible amount of history and geology to learn about in these areas it was impossible to absorb it all. Most of us left the area feeling like we want to return!