A wonderful BLM campground with at least 30 sites along Blitzen River in the Malheur Wildlife Refuge (yes, that one). Deer roam freely at sunrise and sunset. Very few fellow campers. Pit toilets, water, campfire rings, and picnic tables. Incredibly dark skies. And quiet. What else could you want for $8/night?
Photos from this morning — the first day with blue skies since I left Wenatchee on Wednesday.
Went for a short 1.5 mile hike on the Blitzen Creek trail. The trailhead was about 100 feet from our campsite at the far end of the Page Springs Campground. The trail winds along Blitzen creek through mostly tall grasses with lots of side trails the take you right to the waters edge. The canyon was still pretty much in the shade when we got started with the sun had reached rhe opposite canyon wall by the time we were on our way back. It was a short hike just to get my blood going before today’s long drive.
When I went hiking at Cottonwood Canyon on Thursday, I met another woman hiking with her dog. We stopped for a brief chat about hiking and photography — she had a DSLR camera with her, too. During the conversation, she mentioned an overlook she had stopped at while in the John Day Fossil Beds Monument, which is where I was heading. She didn’t know the name of it and her description was very vague but I believe I found it the next day: the Mascall Overlook.
I arrived around mid day, just in time for lunch. The sky was mostly cloudy, but the sun was making its way through here and there. I was hungry and decided to have lunch first, so I hopped into the Turtleback and reheated some leftovers using my microwave powered by the onboard generator. (I can’t deny the convenience of this, despite the three minutes of generator noise.) Afterwards, Penny and I made the short walk to the Overlook and took in the scene. There’s a lot of geology going on here, most of which has to do with basalt lava flows around 15 million years ago — if I’ve got that right. The road in the photo cuts through what’s called Picture Canyon, which was created by the South Fork of the John Day River flowing though over years and years. 17 layers of basalt rock lay exposed inside the canyon.
It was an interesting place to stop for lunch in a few photos. Very quiet, yet not far from ranches and homes. I think that’s one of the things I like best traveling with the Turtleback instead of my old Mobile Mansion: I don’t have to worry about getting in or out of tight parking lots or narrow, dead end roads. I can go anywhere.
Another evening, another quiet, private stream side campsite. Perfect spot for my modest Thanksgiving Dinner.
Went for a 3-mile hike along the John Day River at Cottonwood Canyon State Park near Condon, OR. Happy Thanksgiving!
