Deep in the Blue Mountain’s gold rush country, the 24.6-mile North Fork John Day River Trail traces a wilderness river through a rimrock canyon dotted with the decaying log cabins of ancient prospects. To sample the scenery, hike 2.6 miles downriver from the North Fork John Day Campground to the “Bigfoot Hilton,” a cabin featured in William L. Sullivan’s adventure narrative, Listening for Coyote. If you’re on horseback, or if you don’t mind wading across the chilly river, continue on a 13.5-mile loop that follows a side canyon back to your starting point. 

To drive here from . . .

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For a longer trip, continue . . .

This chapter is an excerpt from 100 Hikes: Eastern Oregon