Perhaps my favorite place in the mountains, I have MANY photographs of Roaring Creek. Walking up and down the banks is an incredible experience. Walking the banks takes you into a deep green, mossy, wet, noisy photographers paradise - at least in my opinion…
Take Hwy 224, which runs from Detroit to Estacada, and turn on Forest Service road 4685 (14 miles from Detroit). You can not miss this view on the left side of the road at 2.25 miles in. There is a small parking area on the right, at the second of three trailheads for the Breitenbush Gorge trail.
You can find a Google Map of the area here.
This picture of the North and Middle Sisters Mountains was taken from the McKenzie Pass near the Dee Wright Observatory in the lava flow that came from Belknap Crater. This lava flow is fairly recent, being a few hundred years old. Near here, the Pacific Crest Hiking Trail passes through the lava flow with the safety of a paved trail. These lava rocks are very sharp and are unstable.
The observatory was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corp. The top of the observatory has a bronze peak finder that points to the landmarks in the area. Inside the observatory there are little windows that make it very easy to view the landmarks, as they limit the view to that particular landmark.
South Sister (not visible) is 10358 ft (3157 m) elevation. The Middle Sister is 10047 ft (3062 m) and the North Sister 10085 ft (3074 m). In the photo, the North Sister is on the right, the Middle Sister is on the left and the South Sister is hidden behind it.
The drive up here, from the East, is one of my favorites. The trip up highway 242 is spectacular with a very twisty turny drive up and up and up. The nickname of the climb is ‘Deadhorse Grade’. I can only imagine where the name came from. Highway 242 is not maintained in the winter season. The highway goes from hwy 126 (which goes from Eugene to Santiam Pass) to Sisters.
Here is a link to a Google Map photo view of the area, focusing in on the observatory. If you zoom out you can see more of the lava flow from Belknap Crater.
The Dee Wright Observatory is 15 miles West of Sisters on Hwy 242.
The John Day Fossil Beds have three units. The Painted Hills Unit here is 3,132 acres of beautiful eroding claystone. The Painted Hills are nine miles Northwest of Mitchell, Oregon on Hwy 26, about 75 miles east of Bend. There is an exit to the North of the highway, simply follow the signs from there.
You can see the locations of the Painted Hills here at Google Maps.
The colors of the Painted Hills are most vibrant with the lower angle of the sun in the late afternoon. The hills are probably at their best during the wildflower season, which peaks in late April to early May.
Photographs of towns, cities, people, buildings and such. Big cities, small towns and rural scenes may be here… Visiting them yourself is encouraged.
Oregon has some great waterfalls, from small mountain springs to roaring rivers. Take a look…
Plants that are wild and plants we cultivate are featured here. I try to shoot variety of plants, not just my favorites: Sunflowers, Tulips and Daisies. Perhaps a wild rose or some colorful lichen will help fill the page…
Oregon has a wide range of animals; from the majestic Bald Eagle to the stealthy Mountain Lion, from the friendly squirrel to the stinky skunk, from the cute butterfly to the ugly toad. The exact location isn’t really an issue here, general location is. Look for loosening of the directions in this category.