Eastern Oregon
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The John Day Fossil Beds of Sheep Rock are composed of green claystone which has naturally eroded and revealed fossils from about 28 million years ago--ancient mammals and plants.
The Painted Hills appearance is the result of erosion occurring and exposing ash fall layers from ancient volcanoes. Different minerals in the ash account for the variations in color.
We drove through old western-style towns whose origins date to the 1800's, when a gold rush began in Canyon City. Elaborate murals on town buildings depict historical events and remnants of days gone by still can be seen.