Rimrock and Juniper: Central Oregon Deserts and Ghost towns

This arid country immediately east of the Oregon's Cascade Range boasts 300 days of sunshine a year in its tourist brochures. Whether that is true or not we'll leave to the climatologists. What is certain is the scarcity of rainfall, about 8-12 inches per year, with generally low humidity. Even when it is stormy and cloudy in this region, it is not the blank endless gray characteristic of the long sunless periods in Western Oregon. Misplaced desert rats like this photographer will want to buy some land in this region and just go dry out their spirits now and then. They'll have their choice between urbane, pricey living in the great city of Bend, or life in the smaller cities like Redmond, Prineville, Sisters, or Madras. And in between and beyond the cities, there are still huge expanses of ranch lands, juniper scrub lands, rimrock lands, and piney mountain uplands. The image below is from a sparsely populated area south of Prineville. I title it "Moonrise-Canyonland," and it is for sale, see bottom of page. ille, Oregon. Prineville, Crooked River, Prineville Reservoir

Moon rising over the rimrocks, Crooked River country

 

 

 

 

 

 


Juniper, rooted in rock, head in the sun, colored by fluorescent green Letharia lichen.


 

View down into Crooked River Canyon from this spot

 

Evans Well Hay Fantasy (click to view several images of one of Oregon's desert ghost towns)


If interested in purchase of other images contact: brucej@oregonphotos.com. And please visit

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See the dry oak country of the eastern Columbia River Gorge

 

Back to Central Oregon mountains and deserts page

 

 


To Order a Chromira print of "Moonrise-Canyonland," please email me. Size available is 8x12, a custom Chromira print for $25, plus shipping.

E-mailer: click for a direct link with me (brucej@oregonphotos.com)

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Page Last Revised 11/02/2022