The Amazing Blue Basin
As with the Painted Hills, the Blue Basin is also within the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in north central Oregon.
Blue Basin is one of the most fascinating places I’ve been. It’s still fairly obscure, so your chances of finding some peace and quiet when surrounded by massive blue-green rocks are fairly high, especially during a weekday morning.
The unique hue of the rock formations is due to many volcanic eruptions that deposited a mineral called celadonite. The two trails that are part of the Blue Basin are very doable. The more serious challenge are the high temperatures common to this part of the Pacific Northwest.
If Blue Basin was located near population centers in the east coast of the US, this would be a famous stopover. Enjoy the obscurity and the amazing colors and formations.
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