Okay. Day four! We headed Northeast toward Smith Rock State Park(#3 on the list).  What a beautiful spot. We had already visited this spot a few times as a family, so we gave ourselves a rest with trying to do any big hikes. It also felt like the surface of the sun that day. We opted for a short hike and then headed into town for a burger and shake!  We love Jody’s Drive In. Nothing like a cold malt after a hot hike.  Oh and you cannot miss stopping at the Alpaca Ranch.  We called it good for day four and headed to the KOA cabin.  Our cabin backed right up to a horse ranch and the horses were grazing the fence right by us. Henry nearly lost his mind with excitement. I may have been a little excited as well. They were so beautiful to watch as the sun started to go down.

Day five was all about the Fossils Beds National Monument. We stopped first at the Painted Hills(#4 on the list). The colors are amazing in person and really hard to capture properly. Just go there. But while you are there do not miss out on the Sheep Rock Unit. Go there and take the easy Islands of Time Hike(kid friendly).  It was other worldly. The celadonite mountains tower over you and I have never seen anything like it. They had wonderful little stops for Henry with fossils still buried in the rock. It was another hot day and we were definitely ready for a break from the heat. We headed down the highway to our stop for the night. We reserved a teepee at Clyde Holiday State Recreation Site.  The teepees are right next to the river.  It was wonderful and very peaceful(once the cows went home for the night).  We had a nice campfire and s’mores.

Day six was a long drive day. We had to make it all the way to Joseph and the Wallowa Mts(#5 on the list). We did take some much needed stops for getting our legs moving. We stopped for lunch and education at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center just outside Baker City.  It has the most breathtaking view of the whole area. Fun for Henry to see all the history and fun for me since I did not grow up in Oregon. We learned more than I thought we would.  That night we rolled through Joseph and stayed at a little cabin near the south end of Wallowa Lake. It feels like a little village in the alps.  Snow capped mountains and cabins. The smell of wood burning in the all the fireplaces. The night fog rolled in around the tall firs. Magic.  Part Three posted tomorrow.