The Oregon Badlands Wilderness holds a number of remarkable and exciting landforms and geologic features. Most of the area includes the rugged Badlands volcano, which has features of inflated lava. Windblown volcanic ash and eroded lava make up the sandy, light-colored soil that covers the low and flat places in these fields of lava.

An enjoyable day hike is the Ancient Juniper Trail loop combined with an in-and-out hike to Flatiron Rock. This roughly 6-mile hike is mostly flat, with one steep section up to Flatiron Rock itself where you get views of the Ochoco Mountains and the great vastness of the Badlands. 

Bring plenty of water, and don’t expect any facilities like restrooms or trash cans. The area is dog friendly, but the sand gets hot, so we don't recommend taking dogs along in the summer. It’s rustic out there, which is exactly what makes it special.