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Mitchell, Mitchell, OR

Photo: Finetooth, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingLocal GemOutdoor Adventure

Mitchell

202 SE High Street · Mitchell, OR

Why you should go…

Mitchell is a small town along U.S. Highway 26 in a canyon of Eastern Oregon, about nine miles from the Painted Hills unit of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. The town has three restaurants, a historic hotel, cottage lodging, and a city park with RV hookups and camping. Mitchell hosts the annual Painted Hills Festival over Labor Day weekend.

  • #small town
  • #hiking
  • #camping
  • #scenic
  • #fossils

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Mitchell, ordered by straight-line distance.

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Painted Hills

    Free

    Short trails and overlooks take you past hills striped in red, tan, orange and black claystone.

    8.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

    Free

    Walk short trails past colorful striped claystone hills and see fossils of ancient mammals and plants at the visitor center.

    25 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Smith Rock State Park

    Under $25

    Hike or climb among welded tuff spires and 600-foot cliffs above a bend of the Crooked River.

    50 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Stay
    Outdoor Adventure

    Cove Palisades Resort & Marina

    $50+

    Marina resort on Lake Billy Chinook with cabin and houseboat rentals, boat rentals and a lakeside store.

    52 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay