Sutton Mountain Back Country Byway

Overview:

Welcome to 41 miles of Central Oregon's scenic backcountry! Relish views of the orange and red clay mounds of the Painted Hills, crane your neck to catch the emerald-green lichen on the rock walls of Girds Creek Canyon, and get up close and personal with the high desert cliffs of Sutton Mountain. You can stick to the byway or explore colorful hiking trails, discover historic corrals from early ranching days, pause for a lunch break at Priest Hole on the banks of the John Day River, or camp under breathtaking, unobstructed night skies. Anywhere you look, it's a photographer's dream!

Know Before You Go:

• Open year round.
• The byway is open to motorcycles, vehicles, and bicycles.
• Picnicking, restrooms and drinking water are available at the Painted Hills National Monument (water not available during winter months).
• Fuel, food and lodging are available in Mitchell, Oregon.
• Primitive camping is available at the BLM Priest Hole Recreation Site, which can be reached via a 1.4 mile spur road off of the north side of the byway loop (restroom, no water).

Point of Interest:

The Scenic Byway passes by the Painted Hills, one of the Seven Wonders of Oregon. It's worth the time to explore the colors, fossils and geology of this amazing place!

Sutton Mountain Back Country Byway Brochure