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The
Painted Hills Vacation Rentals are
located in the historical town of Mitchell which features
3 American style restaurants, a gas station, an espresso
stand, and a general store with limited selections. The
nearest airport is Robert Fields in Redmond, about 1.5
hours away by car. The closest town is Prineville, a 45
minute drive, which has various
supermarkets, restaurants, golf courses, antique stores
etc. Most places of interest are reached through
spectacular scenic drives and are within a radius of 10 to
50 miles.
MITCHELL
HISTORY:
Mitchell was named in 1873 for John Hipple Mitchell, a
former U.S. Senator from Oregon. In 1884 the town of
Mitchell suffered a raging flood. Water rushed over the
bluff above the community, carrying boulders and mud. The
town was rebuilt. The community has an Old West ambiance
with part of the town situated on bluffs above the lower
part.
Mitchell is known for its
spectacular geologic features such as large rock outcrops
that tower near town. A friendly Brown-bear named Henry lives in a large cage near the town’s gas station and attracts many visitors.
The latest reason for Mitchell's fame, was the discovery of the fossil of a lower jaw of a Plesiosaur in 2003 a few miles from town. The high school of Mitchell received funds to work on a science and art project that helped create a metal replica of this prehistoric 25 foot long underwater creature (Yes, Mitchell used to be under water millions of years ago!) The impressive sculpture is exhibited in the town of Fossil (about 35 miles from Mitchell) in the Oregon Paleo Institute.
MITCHELL CLIMATE
Elevation: 2,650'
Monthly Ave. Low: 24°F Monthly Ave. High:
86°F
Hottest Month July
Coldest Month January
Driest Month July Wettest Month
May
Average annual precipitation: 11.570"
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AREA
ACTIVITIES
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Swimming, fishing, boating, bird
watching,
and hiking in the John Day
River basin
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Hiking, photographing, painting in the three units of
the John day Fossil Beds National Monument (see our
photo gallery for a taste of this
incredible diverse region) for more info go to www.nps.gov/joda
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Hunting for fossils, thunder eggs, and other unusual stones
from prehistoric
times throughout this area (www.luckystrikemine.net)
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Visiting the Thomas Condon Paleontology Museum 30 miles
away for a glimpse of the ancient history of this region
(travel on one of Oregon’s great scenic byways to get
there).
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Picking
incredible tasting fruit (cherries and apricots in
June/July, nectarines and peaches in July/August, and
apples and pears in September/October) in the
famous Kimberly valley along John Day River (about an
hour drive along the scenic byway) www.thomasorchards.com
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Visiting
the Twickenham school - an original school building of
pioneer times – and travel the old Twickenham road.
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Visiting
the Fossil Rodeo and Country Fair in August, or the
Painted Hills Festival in September.
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Going
snowmobiling, sledding, or cross country skiing in the Ochoco
Mountains in the winter season www.onc.org/ochoco
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Check
out hunting season- hunting for small and big game!
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Floating the John Day river: The best
time to raft the river is between April and June. Rafts
can be rented at Service Creek Stage Stop about 35
minutes by car from Mitchell. Tours with experienced
river guides can be organized by one of the two
outfitters in the region
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Visiting the
Kam Wah Chung Museum in John Day (1 hour and 50
minutes drive by scenic byway route 26) to learn
fascinating facts about Oregon’s pioneer history.
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AREA INFORMATION
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
John
Day Fossil Beds National Monument protects one of the
longest and most continuous records of evolutionary change
and biotic relationships in North America. Here, scientists
have unearthed countless fossils of land plants and animals
dating back 6 to 54 million years as well as evidence of the
dramatic climatic changes that have occurred. The monument
includes over 14,000 acres found in 3 widely separated
units, the Sheep Rock Unit, Painted Hills Unit and Clarno
Unit. The Painted Hills are located 9 miles from Mitchell.
Sheep Rock is about 38 miles and houses the monument's
visitor center as well as the Thomas Condon Paleontology
museum with its large collection of ancient fossils. The
Clarno unit is close to Fossil, about an hour drive from
Mitchell. All drives are magnificent scenic byways capturing
the landscape's diversity and beauty. More info can be
obtained on the National Park Service website.
Ochoco Mountains
About
20 miles from Mitchell are the Ochoco Mountains with
Evergreen forests and various snow parks offering great
opportunities for cross-country skiing, sledding and
snowmobiling. The Ochoco Nordic Club in Prineville offers
classes and cross country skiing trips there throughout the
winter. In early summer this region is great for morel
mushroom hunting, and hiking. You can also visit the Lucky Strike Mine located in the Ochoco National Forest if you like to collect some Thunder Eggs.
John
Day River
The
John Day is spectacular river with incredible scenery and
unspoiled beauty. With its 280 miles of length it is the
longest un-dammed river in the Pacific Northwest and is
federally protected as a Wild and Scenic River. The basalt
formations and bluffs are typical of this region and some of
the cliffs and palisades along the shores tower more than
3,000 feet high above the river. The John Day is a favorite
for bird watching as it is in the heart of the Pacific
Flyway. Look out for Canadian geese, hawks and humming
birds. There is great winter Steelhead and bass fishing,
with the drifting time beginning in spring running through
June. From Mitchell there are various different routes to
get to the river and we will be happy to show you our
favorite spots for swimming.
The
Oregon Paleo Lands Institute
The Paleo Lands Institute, OPLI, in Fossil
(about 40 minutes drive by car) is offering workshops and
educational adventure trips based on the ancient history
and geology of this area. They can customize family and
group trips based on your special interest such as fossil
hunting, bird, butterfly, and other wildlife watching,
hiking and mountain biking. The OPLI has a great bookshop and exhibition room with lots of info on paleontology and geology. Ask about the Mitchell Plesiosaur. Call in advance to reserve
space. 541 763 4480
AREA
EVENTS
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CALL 541 462-3921
OR
EMAIL FOR
RESERVATIONS
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