There’s no bad time of day or year to view the peach, apricot, and golden stripes of Oregon’s Painted Hills. The early morning light washes the claystone with pale pastels. In the afternoon, the dipping sun seems to illuminate the rocks from within.

And in spring, once the snow melts, yellow wildflowers peep out between the cracks, adding an extra dimension of color. Pick from five trails, ranging from 0.25 to 1.6 miles, to view the gold, apricot, black, and brick-red stripes and swirls up close.

See more of the world's most colorful natural wonders

Your state’s most scenic walk you can do in a day