Sutton Mountain

Jim Davis   Website

John Day River Basin

At 4,700 feet tall, Sutton Mountain towers over the surrounding landscape. With a steep, craggy west side and a rolling, grassy eastern face, the mountain has a mysterious Jekyll and Hyde quality.

Sutton Mountain is home to bountiful wildflowers in the spring and vibrant herds of pronghorn, elk, and mule deer. Here solitude is as easy to come by as is a breathtaking vista. The recreational opportunities in this area will suit adventurous thrill-seekers and mellow nature enthusiasts alike.

ONDA is working with Senator Merkley, the local community and other stakeholders to craft a conservation solution worthy of the area’s incredible diversity of habitat types, opportunities for backcountry recreation, archaeological resources and more.

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Spring Basin Wilderness

Spring Basin Wilderness

Spring Basin Wilderness

With 10,000 acres of undulating terrain, secluded canyons and spectacular vantages of the John Day Country, Spring Basin is magnificent to explore This public treasure, forever protected as Wilderness, offers a profusion of desert wildflowers in the spring and year-round recreational opportunities for hikers, horseback

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Western Rattlesnake

Western Rattlesnake

Also known as the Great Basin Rattlesnake, these pit vipers have buff-tan coloring and small, oval blotches to blend into their arid surroundings. Small heat-sensing indentations on each side of the snake’s snout detects warm-blooded prey for better striking accuracy in the dark. Source: The Oregon Encyclopedia

Latin name: Crotalus oreganus lutosus

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Bitteroot

Bitteroot

Bitteroot blooms on north-facing cliffs in western North America.

The Paiute name for bitteroot is kangedya. Traditional Native American uses of the plant included eating the roots, mixed with berries and meat, and using the roots to treat sore throats.

 

Tyson Fisher   Website

Tyler Roemer   Website

Seeking to protect stand out wild lands that include the Wilderness Study Areas of Pat’s Cabin, Sand Mountain, and Dead Dog Canyon, this conservation initiative would protect lands that encircle the Painted Hills National Monument and support the fish and wildlife that depend on the John Day River.

Black Canyon

Most of the hikes in the area ascend Sutton Mountain, but this Black Canyon hike offers a nice change of pace. Its relatively flat bottom is perfect for any hiker who wants to experience the serenity of Oregon’s high desert. Along with the sagebrush and juniper characteristic of the high desert, Sutton Mountain provides vital […]

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Sutton Mountain Dazzles,
Inspires in Equal Measure

Author: Matt Wastradowski  | Published: August 20, 2020  |  Categories: Where-to; In the News The Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument sees roughly 200,000 visitors per year, almost all of them dazzled by the brightly colored hillsides, arid landscapes, and explosive ecological history of the John Day River Basin. But […]

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