Senator Merkley Steps Up
for Sutton Mountain

success

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

voices

Terry Butler, 2018 Volunteer of the Year

“If I have to pick a favorite place in Oregon’s high desert, it would be Sutton Mountain, but I’m excited about all of the Wilderness Study Areas,” says Terry, adding, “Each is a gem to explore, and I hope they all get protection someday… I love the scale of the physical beauty of the desert.”

fact

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

Sutton Mountain

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 […]

Thank Senator Merkley for re-introducing Sutton Mountain Wilderness legislation

In 2019, Senator Merkley introduced legislation to designate the 58,000-acre Sutton Mountain Wilderness and convey nearly 2,000 acres to the city of Mitchell, Oregon to help the community take advantage of the new wilderness area for local economic development. Please take a moment now to thank the senator and encourage him to move this legislation […]