Day 5: The Badlands

Our fifth and final day announced itself with light snow. We were feeling refreshed, having showered and sorted our gear for the way home. However, there was one more stop.

Just outside the city of Bend, one of the fastest growing cities in the country, is a 50 square mile area of lava plains, rocky outcrops and petroglyphs. Picket signs have lately been showing up on lawns in the area proclaiming "save the badlands," as this area is on the edge of ever advancing development. The Badlands are a different sort of area in that you don't just follow a winding trail that eventually loops you back to your vehicle. Like both the guide book and some folks in the parking area suggested, you have to just walk into the area and explore.

As we searched the lava outcrops for evidence of ancient rock art, which really sets this place apart from surrounding areas, Jamie stumbled upon an ancient river bed that we had read about prior to our visit.

The old river bed went on for some time. There were circular holes in the rock, I forget their name, that had been carved out by swirling water long ago. We did find one confirmed pictograph (image on rock) that showed itself as a faint red figure of a man on one of the canyon walls.

Jamie has a moment with some tumbleweed

It was a far cry from the tropics, there were no oceans and the sun was hidden most of the time. But we had a great trip in a part of Oregon we had never seen. The motor trip was ending, and I don't want to disclose the final mileage.