Oregon: Painted Hills Overlook Trail

Our next "wonder" of Oregon was the Painted Hills, part of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.

The iron red paleosols indicate a warm and moist environment. Rainfall would have been between 31 and 53 inches a year (current is 12).

The yellow and tan soils indicate a dryer environment, with rainfall between 23 and 47 inches a year.

The black spots are caused by manganese concentrations, thought to be the product of a specific plant.