No your eyes do not deceive you…and it is not a Photoshop trick. These are the real colors of Blue Basin, part of the John Day Fossil Bed National Monument in Central Oregon.
Getting here requires an easy hike through a box canyon, but definitely worth the effort. The colors you see change during the day…here they are sort of blue/green in midday light, but change to a more blue color as you approach sunset. According to geologist, the blue colors come from volcanic ash that has turned to claystone which eroded over eons of time. It has become even more brilliant thanks to the help of minerals that have leached into the soil.
But a walk through this canyon is also to walk back through time. These blue rock formations contain a nearly unlimited number of fossils that go back 40 million years. Many years ago, the National Park Service forbade digging for fossils. Fossils are only harvested here when they are uncovered by natural erosion caused by wind and rain. There is a nearby visitor center where you can see a large number of fossils from the area. There is also a small display of fossils along trail.
If you are ever in the area (and it is a bit off the beaten path), take a walk through Blue Basin and nearby Painted Hills…and definitely bring your camera!
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