visitors guide sutton mountain pat’s cabin painted hills proposed wilderness areas

oregon natural desert association

John Day River area (photo © Tyler Roemer) area facts Plant Communities Welcome to Sutton Mountain, Pat’s Cabin, Sutton Mountain, Pat’s Cabin, and Painted Hills are all dominated by big sagebrush, Painted Hills Proposed Wilderness Areas native bunchgrasses, and western juniper, Located near Mitchell, Oregon, and surrounding the Painted Hills National Monument, Sutton providing important habitat and forage for Mountain, Pat’s Cabin, and Painted Hills Proposed Wilderness Areas provide spectacular vistas of native wildlife. The sagebrush-juniper wood- the John Day River, Bridge Creek valley and surrounding landscape. These unique wild areas offer lands that characterize these unique areas recreational opportunities for hikers, horseback riders, hunters, botanists and other outdoor enthu- provide vital habitat for the sensitive species siasts. The proposed wilderness areas encompass Arrowleaf thelypody and Peck’s milkvetch. a diversity of habitat types including grasslands, riparian areas, sagebrush shrub steppe, wood- Wildlife lands, and forests. They also provide important This unique area provides essential habitat habitat for threatened summer steelhead and for a variety of wildlife, such as Western Chinook salmon. toads, lizards, snakes, Pygmy rabbits, bobcats, coyotes, cougar, mule deer, California bighorn Sutton Mountain The John Day River winds lazily around the sheep, and elk. A large number of birds base of Sutton Mountain, an iconic gem of also frequent the areas, including pileated the John Day Basin. This 29,000-acre potential woodpeckers, white-headed woodpeckers, wilderness area towers over steep ravines, native red-naped sapsuckers, ferruginous hawks, grasslands, and dramatic clay formations. To the grasshopper sparrows, sage sparrows, chukar, North, green canyons protect sensitive plant spe- meadowlarks, and golden eagles. cies and provide several routes to its vast flattop Geology – now a thriving bunchgrass prairie, thanks to From the brightly colored Painted Hills, to reduced grazing and improved fire management. the basalt-flooded summit of Sutton Moun- The Eastern and Southern hills are home to doz- tain, these lands display a staggering 50 ens of bird species, elk, deer, cougar, and coyote. million years of geologic activity. This activity Pat’s Cabin deposited layer upon layer of ash, lava, and Characterized by rolling bunchgrass hills and volcanic mud, solidifying and trapping plants providing important connectivity routes for elk, and animals and preserving them. Over time, deer, and cougar, Pat’s Cabin proposed wilder- erosion has revealed these ancient fossils, ness area (16,000 acres) is named for an old fur- mudflows, and ash-lakebed sediments, creat- trapper cabin still intact within its boundaries. Black Canyon, Sutton Mountain (photo © Bill Crowell) ing a diverse and beautiful geologic story. Protection of this area and its watershed provide nearby Bridge Creek with some of the best potential for threatened steelhead recovery. This area’s rolling hills and secluded valleys are a prime location for quiet and solitude. Painted Hills Proposed Wilderness Area Painted Hills proposed wilderness area (7,089 acres) rises steeply to its peak, Sand Mountain, and contains over half of the Painted Hills National Monument. The area has dramatic vistas of the Ochoco National Forest to the South and the John Day River to the North, and is one of the best- suited places to view the most continuous geologic records (6–54 million years) in North America.

Stovepipe Springs, Sutton Mountain (photo © Tyler Roemer) Sutton Mountain (photo © Greg Burke)

Sutton Mountain, Pat’s Cabin, Painted Hills Proposed Wilderness Areas How To Get There Sutton Mountain, Pat’s Cabin, and Painted Hills proposed wilderness areas are located approxi- Portland mately 50 miles east of Prineville, northwest of the town of Mitchell. They are accessible from Highway 26 to the south, Rowe Creek Road via John Day Highway 19 to the north, and Service

Salem 97 Creek Mitchell Highway 207 to the east. See map for details. 22 Land Stewardship And Safety Albany Madras Visitors can help protect this fragile area by arriving prepared to follow Leave No Trace eti- 20 26 quette. What trails exist are unsigned, so visitors should be sure to bring a map, familiarize them- Prineville selves with the area, and carry plenty of water. Please help protect the land by: 126 Redmond • Walking abreast rather than single file to avoid making new trails. Bend Eugene • Packing out trash, and burying human waste 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water. 20 • Respecting natural and cultural resources, leaving pictographs, rocks, plants, and other natu- Sutton Mountain, Pat’s Cabin, Painted Hills ral and cultural artifacts as they are. Proposed Wilderness Areas are the areas The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages these areas to protect their natural values by highlighted in red in central Oregon. prohibiting all motorized and mechanized vehicle use, including all-terrain vehicles and mountain The large map on the following page shows bikes. Please respect these land-use regulations. Please do not enter private lands without the a detailed view of the area. landowner’s permission. Bridge Creek Restoration Flowing for 28 miles from the Ochoco Mountains until it meets the Lower John Day River, Bridge Creek provides important habitat for threatened wild steelhead and Chinook salmon, as well as other wildlife species dependent on healthy stream habitat. Historical agricultural and grazing practices in the area, as in much of the John Day Basin, have led to deepening of the stream chan- nel and erosion of its banks, resulting in the loss of fish and wildlife habitat. ONDA is collaborat- ing with several government agencies and local landowners to restore stream conditions using an innovative approach: encouraging native beavers to repopulate and subsequently, naturally reengineer the stream. Although current beaver populations in the West are a fraction of their historical numbers, there are active beaver colonies on Lower Bridge Creek. Beaver structures pro- vide numerous benefits for stream systems, including fish habitat, water storage, and wetlands development, which attract a variety of native fish and wildlife species. Painted Hills National Monument The vivid Painted Hills of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument are also a must-see for visitors of the area. For more information about trails, exhibits and picnic areas, call the Painted Hills Unit of the National Parks Service at (541) 462-3961. Sutton Mountain, Pat’s Cabin, Painted Hills Proposed Wilderness Areas

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Priest Hole

Stovepipe Springs Black Canyon Trailhead g ir ds Manning Pasture c re ek r o a Pat’s Cabin Rocky Road d service creek

b r Sutton Mountain i d b g u e r c n Carrol Rim r t e r e a k n c Fern Leaf Hill h r o Painted Hills a National Monument d Hidden Springs Red Hill Meyers Canyon

Painted Hills

Old Logging Road

map key

blm land Trailhead 207

Wilderness Study Area Campsite

Proposed Wilderness Boundary Boat launch

National Monument Equestrian

Private land Toilet 26 john day Scale Miles 26 0 1 2 34 prineville mitchell Balsam root (photo © Katya Spiecker), California bighorn sheep (photo © Greg Burke), John Day River (photo © Tyler Roemer)

Support Permanent Protection while visiting sutton mountain, pat’s cabin and painted hills for Sutton Mountain, restaurants and food lodging services Pat’s Cabin, and Painted Hills Bridge Creek Café The Painted Hills Vacation Rentals Bank of Eastern Oregon 218 Hwy 26 Mitchell, Oregon Fossil, Oregon Proposed Wilderness Areas Mitchell, Oregon www.paintedhillsvacation.com (541) 763-2910 (541) 462-3921 (24-hour ATM) We love Central Oregon for its natural Sidewalk Café & More beauty and the many opportunities for 204 West Main Street Little Pine Lodge Main Street Station outdoor recreation. As our population Mitchell, Oregon Mitchell, Oregon Fossil, Oregon (541) 462-3434 (800) 698-1935 (541) 763-3333 grows, so do the pressures on the natural www.littlepinecafe.com (gas & mechanic) landscape. It is our responsibility to preserve Route 26 Espresso natural areas for wildlife and for future Junction Hwy 207/Hwy 26 Service Creek Lodge Service Creek Stage Stop Mitchell, Oregon Junction Hwys 19 & 207 Junction Hwys 19 & 207 generations to enjoy. Ask Congress to (541) 468-3331 (541) 468-3331 Little Pine Café permanently protect Sutton Mountain, www.servicecreekresort.com (store, raft rentals, shuttles) Pat’s Cabin and Painted Hills by designating 100 East Main Street Mitchell, Oregon Oregon Hotel Ouzel Outfitters them as wilderness. Find out more about Mitchell, Oregon Bend, Oregon Big Timber Family Restaurant ONDA’s efforts to protect the John Day (541) 462-3027 Res. 800-788-7238 540 1st Street Basin at www.onda.org. Office (541) 385-5947 Fossil, Oregon Mitchell City Park (rafting trips) (541) 763-4328 (541) 462-3121 (3 RV hookups) Wayne & Ruby Nunn RJ’s Restaurant Fossil, Oregon 415 1st Street Bridge Creek Flora Inn (541) 763-2061 Fossil, Oregon Fossil, Oregon (river shuttles) (541) 763-3335 (541) 763-2355 J.D.R. Shuttles Shelton Wayside Park regional information Fossil, Oregon & Campground (541) 763-0909 Oregon Paleo Lands Institute Fossil, Oregon Cell: (541) 410-0933 Fossil, Oregon 97830 (541) 763-2010 www.paleolands.org Donna’s John Day River Shuttles Bear Hollow Park & Campground (541) 763-4480 Fossil, Oregon Fossil, Oregon (natural history exhibits, trips, (541) 763-4884 (541) 763-2010 visitor center, & bookstore) Spray Raft Rentals Ochoco Divide USFS Campground Wheeler County Courthouse Spray, Oregon Summit of Ochoco Pass Hwy 26 Fossil, Oregon 97830 (541) 468-2229 (no water) John Day River with purple sage and buckwheat www.wheelercounty-oregon.com (photo © Greg Burke) (541) 763-2400 Walton Lake USFS Campground (government, business, recreation, 7 miles NE of Ochoco Ranger events) Station Forest Road #22 Wilson Ranches Retreat Bed & Breakfast Hwy 19, 3 miles NW of Fossil (541) 763-2227