Eastern Oregon

Glacier-ripped valleys, high mountain lakes and marble peaks are some of the rewards that long-distance hikers find on overnight treks into the beautiful Eagle Cap Wilderness, nicknamed 'America's Little Switzerland.'

Because no cap rock protects them, the Painted Hills have eroded into low-slung, colorfully banded hills that were originally formed about 30 million years ago. A series of eruptions drifted into beds hundreds of feet deep, layering the brick-red, yellow, black, beige and ocher-hued ash that you now see. It's a fabulous, uncommon sight, best viewed just before sunset. The Painted Hills Unit is 9 miles north of Mitchell, off Hwy 26.

Hells Canyon's most spectacular scenery is perhaps along Snake River, following 25 miles of paved road (Idaho's Rte 454) toward Hells Canyon Dam; here dramatic canyon walls loom almost vertically. The road goes along the Idaho border but is accessed via the southern end of the Wallowa Mountain Loop, near Oxbow. Just past the dam the road ends at the Hells Canyon Visitors Center and boat launch.

The highest peak in southeastern Oregon, Steens Mountain (9773ft) is part of a massive 30-mile-long fault-block range that was formed about 15 million years ago. On the western slope of the range, ice-age glaciers bulldozed trenches that formed massive U-shaped gorges and hanging valleys. To the east, 'the Steens' – as the range is usually referred to – drop off to the Alvord Desert, 5000ft below.

It takes a little doing to get to the wildly eroded Owyhee River country, but sections of this 35-mile gravel drive (and its 14.5-mile side branch) are unforgettable. Running between Adrian (south of Ontario) and a junction with US 95, 18 miles north of Jordan Valley, this scenic route passes grand desert landscapes and spectacular rock peaks.

Take the gravel road 8 miles south of Adrian; the sign should say 'Succor Creek State Park.' You'll drive through sagebrush and rolling hills for about 10 miles, then start descending. A couple of miles later are amazing vertical walls of volcanic tuff hundreds of feet high. The Succor Creek State Natural Area sits at the other end of the canyon, with free basic campsites (no water), wildlife-watching opportunities and stunning vistas.

The scenery is even more spectacular at Leslie Gulch, 26 miles further south on a 14.5-mile dead-end side branch off the main gravel road. A narrow creek channel goes through vividly colored volcanic rock eroded into amazing pinnacles and turreted formations, at last reaching Lake Owyhee Reservoir. There's free primitive camping at Slocum Creek campground (covered picnic tables, fire pits, gravel sites), which is open March to November. Watch for rattlesnakes.

Driving on gravel roads is slow going, so leave yourself plenty of time and take food, lots of water and a full tank of gas. Also note that it gets very hot here in summer and you're unlikely to get cellphone service. For more information, contact the Vale BLM.