Painted Hills, John Day Fossil Beds

Permit Information

NPS Special Use Permit required for any ceremony. $50 application fee (cashier's check, money order, or personal check). Two ceremony locations: Painted Hills Picnic Area (50 max, 6 vehicles, chairs allowed) and Painted Hills Trail Overlook (16 max, 5 vehicles, limited chairs). Schedule up to 1 year in advance, no later than 21 days prior. No entrance fee for the monument.

Seasonal Planning

Spring (March through May) brings desert wildflowers and the most vivid color from recent rains. Fall (September through October) has exceptional golden light. Summer is very hot. Winter is quiet, occasional snow on the painted clay creates a remarkable contrast.

Planning Your Day at Painted Hills, John Day Fossil Beds

One-Spot Day

Painted Hills one spot days work at the Painted Hills Picnic Area (50 max, chairs allowed, 6 vehicles) for the larger ceremony option, or at the Painted Hills Trail Overlook (16 max, 5 vehicles, limited chairs) for the classic compressed view over the striped formations. Both are short paved walks from parking. Pick based on group size, the picnic area is the only site that allows chairs for guests.

Ceremony + Portraits Split

The monument is compact, the two permitted ceremony locations sit within a half mile of each other and Carroll Rim trailhead is close by for portraits. A ceremony at the picnic area and a portrait hike up Carroll Rim the same afternoon is realistic. Schedule permits up to 1 year in advance, no later than 21 days prior. No entrance fee for the monument, just the $50 permit application fee.

A Note on Light

Evening light is superior to morning here, the low afternoon sun turns the red bands into embers and the gradient colors pop. Cloudy days with soft light bring out the color layers most evenly. After rain the colors become dramatically more saturated. Sunrise works but the light is cooler and less warm. Spring (March through May) brings desert wildflowers and the most vivid color from recent rains. Summer is brutally hot, early morning or last two hours before sunset only.

Ceremony Spots at Painted Hills, John Day Fossil Beds

• Painted Hills Overlook — Ceremony overlooking the striped volcanic hills from the primary viewpoint, the classic Painted Hills composition
• Carroll Rim Trail — Elevated panoramic ceremony with aerial views of the entire Painted Hills unit and surrounding high desert