Travel question, prettiest, most expansive deserts

[Ele'ill]

in the US. What has your experience been? I get mixed messages with The Painted Hills in E. Oregon some of the photos are vibrant others make it look dull. I want expansive mind bending desert, but one that is relatively accessible. as far as I know it would be easier to take a bus or train somewhere south of oregon than it would be to get from where I'm at over to the painted hills/high desert area.

Non desert expanse is okay too, like rolling green hills so long as it's a quiet place.

[Slavic]

I live on the US east coast but I've always wanted to visit a salt flat.

Utah has the largest US salt flat, Bonneville Salt Flats
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonneville_Salt_Flats

http://www.utah.com/images/lf/panoSALTFLATS.jpg


If you have the means to go to Bolivia
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Salar_de_Uyuni_D%C3%A9cembre_2007_-_Centre_de_Nulle_Part.jpg

[PhoenixAsh]

There are so many places I would like see in the US.

Yosemite park (https://www.google.nl/search?q=mammoth+cave&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=rw4uU4zkOOSt0QX9gYGwAw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1517&bih=666&dpr=0.9#q=yosemite+national+park&tbm=isch) in winter...Coyote Buttes (https://www.google.nl/search?q=coyote+buttes&biw=1517&bih=666&tbm=isch&imgil=y_qf_dNTWg7cWM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252F encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9 GcTp05GGnVLCDGJUxYyqm_0KI_aNyKqJvMbZQCaeshcyYIlUSO sj%253B960%253B540%253Bc51NC8Iapmtb5M%253Bhttp%252 53A%25252F%25252Fwww.travelmint.com%25252Fadventur es%25252Fthe-wave-of-coyote-buttes.asp&source=iu&usg=__sUtyKHnNPAGdz3PVkvCHIJmt7Ss%3D&sa=X&ei=XA4uU86FDo_s0gXcsYHQCQ&sqi=2&ved=0CCwQ9QEwAQ#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=y_qf_dNTWg7cWM%253A%3Bc51NC8Iapmtb5M%3Bhttp% 253A%252F%252Fcdn.travelmint.com%252Fphotos%252Fco conino-county-arizona%252Fthe-wave-of-coyote-buttes-116.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.travelmint.com%25 2Fadventures%252Fthe-wave-of-coyote-buttes.asp%3B960%3B540)...Mammoth caverns (https://www.google.nl/search?q=mammoth+cave&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=rw4uU4zkOOSt0QX9gYGwAw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1517&bih=666&dpr=0.9)...are really high on the list. Although I would love to travel through Louisiana (https://www.google.nl/search?q=mammoth+cave&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=rw4uU4zkOOSt0QX9gYGwAw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1517&bih=666&dpr=0.9#q=louisiana+nature&tbm=isch) too.

Up until two years ago I wasn't allowed into the US and was unceremoniously marched back out of JFK, somewhere in 2003? (can't remember) on the next flight home.
But I successfully appealed the decision...so now it is only a matter of money and time.

[Ele'ill]

would be nice if I had a way to get 4+ hours east




http://i1.treklens.com/photos/16197/01_painted_hills_oregon.jpg

http://traveloregon.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/eastern_oregon.jpg

http://science.halleyhosting.com/nature/bloomtime/centralo/12/pics/DomingoPass05-31-2012b.jpg


or here(ish)

http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/427/cache/owyhee-river-idaho-melford_42710_990x742.jpg

[Ele'ill]

there's a bus that goes out that way for $60 one way, goes to Bend, OR., it's $95 for a round trip

[BIXX]

there's a bus that goes out that way for $60 one way, goes to Bend, OR., it's $95 for a round trip


South eastern Oregon is great, I have been all over there and the whole area is beautiful.

Are you thinking going to love or just for a break from the city?

[Skyhilist]

I would say that Mojave National Preserve is your best bet. I've been there before and it's awesome. For me, the best part was that it wasn't crowded at all - in fact, it doesn't seem to get very many visitors for the awesome things that it has. First of all, it has the most dense Joshua tree forest in the world, and have you seen Joshua trees? They look like they're straight out of a Dr. Seuss book, it's pretty awesome. Here is more info about that: http://onecoolthingeveryweekend.com/2012/12/20/the-densest-joshua-tree-forest-in-the-world/

I did the hike in that link and it was really awesome. Great scenery. The park also has the Kelso Dunes. These are ridiculously huge sand dunes that stretch for miles on end. Pretty cool too.

There's also hundreds of miles to backpacking to do in the park, and you will hardly run into anyone. If you like reptile biodiversity, you're in for a treat there as well.

So that's my vote if you're able to get there.

[Skyhilist]

I'd recommend the Channel Islands to you as well, but they are pretty expensive to even get to, although I liked them even better than Mojave National Preserve.

I went actually to a lot of places last summer that you might be interested in. I'll make a list and if you're interested in knowing more about any of the places or seeing photos I took in any of the places, let me know.

So here it is:

Madrean Sky Islands (forested mountains aka "sky islands" in south AZ rising above the desert landscape)
Red Rocks, AZ
Humphry's Peak in Coconino National Forest (highest point in AZ)
Grand Canyon NP
Mojave National Preserve
Channel Islands NP
Point Reyes National Seashore
Redwoods NP
Grand Teton NP
Yellowstone NP
Black Hills, SD
Badlands NP

Hope I can be of help!

[Ele'ill]

at the painted hills/high desert area(s) are there any shorter remote hiking trails that allow you to go off a ways exploring or is it all watched, guarded, and sectioned off like a nike store

[Ele'ill]

I've thought about going down south to Crater Lake too, but I hear it's really bad with thousands of tourists everywhere. I might decide on that and during winter.

[Skyhilist]

at the painted hills/high desert area(s) are there any shorter remote hiking trails that allow you to go off a ways exploring or is it all watched, guarded, and sectioned off like a nike store

I think that this place might be exactly what you're looking for in terms of high desert in Oregon: http://www.wilderness.net/NWPS/wildView?WID=576

I haven't been there but it sounds pretty awesome. Also that site (wilderness.net) might be pretty helpful to you in general because it maps out all the U.S. wilderness areas, which tend to be much more remote than just parks in general.

[Ele'ill]

forgot about this in town

http://www.thingstodoinportland.org/images/zenfolio/img/s1/v21/p334126322-3.jpg?d2e39b

[BIXX]

forgot about this in town

http://www.thingstodoinportland.org/images/zenfolio/img/s1/v21/p334126322-3.jpg?d2e39b

That looks very nice. I like it.

[Ele'ill]

powell butte

[BIXX]

powell butte


Really? Huh. I've been up in that area a few times if I remember correctly and I don't remember it looking like that at all.

[Decolonize The Left]

I'd look into the Horse Ridge Research Natural Area (http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/site_info.php?siteid=400) about 20 miles south of Bend. It's BLM which means no fees but little amenities as well.

http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/images/photogallerypics/400_718Horse_Ridge.JPG
http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/images/photogallerypics/400_726Horse_Ridge_Recreation_Area.JPG

[Decolonize The Left]

Oh and as for Crater Lake, it's a madhouse in the late spring / summer when the snow has melted. Definitely try and go on the last legs of the snow as it's almost empty and you can snowshoe out around the rim. One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

[Zukunftsmusik]

at the painted hills/high desert area(s) are there any shorter remote hiking trails that allow you to go off a ways exploring or is it all watched, guarded, and sectioned off like a nike store

as someone from a country where walking on any property, private or state-owned, is a right, this has always seemed like the weirdest thing to me. I think here you're even allowed to camp on private property as long as its some 500 metres from the owner's house. I don't see what is of such an interest in a desert that you need to lock the place up, anyway.

[Zukunftsmusik]

as someone from a country where walking on any property, private or state-owned, is a right

Of course, there are exceptions here, such as military camps and so on, but any woods, mountains etc. are free for anyone to use (though, there are some restrictions on using resources, ie. chopping down trees, branches etc., but as long as you don't take down whole forests it's the general view, I think, that taking some for bonfires etc. is okay (at least I do this)).