Cottonwood Canyon State Park
OR-206, Wasco, OR
Wasco, OR
Steep basalt walls, a wild river running free through the bottom, and a strip of the darkest Oregon sky framed between the canyon rims.
Cottonwood Canyon State Park is one of the biggest and wildest state parks in Oregon, tucked into the dry, open country of the north-central high desert. Here the John Day River winds through a deep canyon it has been carving for millions of years, exposing towering walls of dark basalt rock, the hardened remains of ancient lava flows. Down on the canyon floor, cottonwood trees line the water and trails follow the river upstream and down through country that feels far removed from anywhere.
The John Day is special: it runs free for hundreds of miles without a single dam, one of the longest undammed rivers in the western United States. That wildness carries into the park's night sky. So far from any city, the canyon sits under some of the darkest skies in Oregon, and after sunset the Milky Way stretches right across the narrow gap between the canyon rims. For a road tripper, it is a place to trade the highway for the sound of moving water and a canyon full of stars.
What Guests Love
- Steep basalt cliffs rising on both sides of a wild, free-flowing river
- Miles of quiet trails along the canyon floor, following the water upstream and down
- Bighorn sheep, golden eagles, and mule deer that live along the cliffs and plateaus
- A ribbon of some of the darkest sky in Oregon, stretched between the canyon walls at night
Worth Knowing
- This is remote high-desert country, so fuel up and stock up before the long drive out to the canyon
- Summers get hot and there is little shade on the trails, so carry plenty of water and sun protection
- The John Day is popular for float trips, with a boat launch at the park; check conditions before you go on the water
- It is a certified Dark Sky Park, so plan a night near a new moon to see the Milky Way at its brightest
Details
Wasco, OR
Learn about Cottonwood Canyon State Park
A canyon carved through ancient lava
The dark cliffs that wall in Cottonwood Canyon are made of basalt, hard black rock left behind when enormous lava flows spread across this part of the Pacific Northwest more than fifteen million years ago. Layer stacked on layer as flow after flow cooled solid, building the thick rock you see today. Over the long ages since, the John Day River has slowly cut down through those layers, exposing them in the canyon's steep, stepped walls.
The result is a landscape of striking contrasts: bright green cottonwoods and river reeds along the water below, and stark, sun-baked rock rising hundreds of feet above. Trails run for miles along both sides of the river through the canyon bottom, mostly flat and easy, making it simple to walk deep into the quiet without a hard climb.
A wild, free-flowing river
The John Day River is one of the longest rivers in the western United States that flows without any dams blocking its path. That means the water runs the way it always has, rising with the rains and snowmelt of spring and dropping to a gentle summer flow. Because it is undammed, the river supports native fish and a healthy, natural rhythm that dammed rivers lose.
For visitors, the free-flowing river is both scenery and playground. In the higher water of spring, rafters and paddlers float the John Day through the canyon, launching from the park. In summer the calmer water invites wading and fishing, and any time of year the sound of the river is the soundtrack of the canyon.
Wildlife on the cliffs and plateaus
The canyon is a stronghold for desert wildlife. Bighorn sheep, with their thick curled horns, pick their way along the steep basalt cliffs, so sure-footed they seem to defy the drop. Golden eagles ride the wind above the rims, and mule deer move through the sagebrush on the plateaus. Watching for these animals is one of the quiet joys of a day here.
The riverside greenery draws songbirds and other creatures down to the water, especially at dawn and dusk when the desert cools. Because the park is so lightly visited, wildlife here is less used to crowds, so patient, quiet watchers are often rewarded with a good look.
A canyon full of stars
Stargazers rate how dark a sky is on a scale from 1 to 9 called the Bortle scale, where a bright city glows at 9 and the darkest wild places score near the bottom. Cottonwood Canyon rates near the very top for darkness, about as dark as skies get. With no city for many miles, thousands of stars come out over the canyon, and the glowing band of the Milky Way, our own galaxy seen edge-on, stretches across the strip of sky between the walls.
Down on the canyon floor, boxed in by dark cliffs, the sky feels close enough to touch. The best nights fall near a new moon, when the moon is dark and even the faintest stars appear. Set up along the river, let your eyes adjust for a while, and the same canyon that felt wild by day fills with a river of stars overhead.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Wasco
John Day River
Runs through the park
One of the longest free-flowing rivers in the West, popular for spring float trips and fishing, with a boat launch inside the park.
Wasco
About 15 miles north
A small farming town in the wheat country above the canyon, the nearest community for fuel and basic supplies.
Deschutes River State Recreation Area
About 40 miles northwest
A river canyon near the Columbia River offering fishing, rafting, and camping, a scenic stop on the way to or from the park.