1. Arch Rock

A natural phenomenon carved out eons ago from a formation of welded tuff. The short, uphill trail to see the arch lies within the Malheur National Forest just off Forest Road 36 north of John Day.

2. Strawberry Lake

Unreachable by vehicle, this pristine mountain lake offers stunning scenery and peaceful solitude. County Road 60 leads south from Prairie City about 11 miles to the Strawberry Campground. Visitors will need to make the 1.5-mile hike from the campground to reach the lake. Visitors can hike another mile from the lake to reach Strawberry Falls.

3. Silvies Valley Ranch

Guests at this luxury resort south of Seneca can explore an authentic cattle ranch, feast on gourmet cuisine, sit on a blanket under more stars then they could ever imagine, learn how sustainable beef and chevon is raised, test their shooting skills or try their hand at one of several golf courses, including: two reversible, 18-hole courses, a seven-hole challenge ridge course or a mountain meadow nine-hole par three course.

4. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

Complete with picnic areas, hiking trails and a fascinating visitor center, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument provides a short course on the 40 million years between the extinction of the dinosaurs and the start of the Ice Age. The monument is comprised of three units — Sheep Rock, Painted Hills and Clarno. Together the three sites span over 14,000 acres of land.

5. Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site

Originally a Chinese medical clinic, general store, community center and residence run by two Chinese immigrants, Ing “Doc” Hay and Lung On, the building was donated to the city of John Day following Doc Hay’s passing and now serves as a tool in the interpretation of local Chinese history. Kam Wah Chung sat undisturbed for almost 20 years before it was restored and reopened as a museum. The building has largely been kept exactly as it was found by historians.

6. Magone Lake

Located 26 miles north of John Day off County Road 18, Magone Lake offers a wide range of recreational activities. The lake is stocked with 8- to 15-inch eastern brook and rainbow trout, making it an ideal fishing location. A 1.5-mile trail skirts the edge of the water, offering an easy hike for everyone in the family. A sandy beach provides a perfect place for building sandcastles, catching a crawfish or two or swimming in the shallow waters close to shore. More adventurous swimmers can venture out to the tree stump in the middle of the lake, which makes for a great diving spot.

7. Clyde Holliday State Park

Sitting next to the John Day River, Clyde Holliday State Park offers camping beneath towering cottonwood trees. Visitors may spot elk and mule deer grazing nearby or catch steelhead coming upriver to spawn at the 43-acre state park. Camping facilities feature 31 RV sites with electrical hookups, two tepees, a hiker/biker camp, hot showers and flush toilets, firewood and ice available for purchase, an RV dump station, horseshoe pits and an outdoor amphitheater complex with summer interpretive programs. The park is located on Highway 26, 1 mile east of Mt. Vernon and 8 miles west of John Day.

8. Seventh Street Sports Complex

A 23-acre multi-use complex located just a few blocks off Main Street in John Day, this park has something for everyone, including a mile-long paved trail that snakes around a tree-lined greenspace, baseball and softball fields, tennis and basketball courts, a fishing pond, splash pad, two playgrounds and sheltered picnic areas.

9. Olive Lake

A popular spot for boating, fishing, hiking and camping spanning 160 acres, Olive Lake sits at about 6,000 feet in the Blue Mountains, approximately 12 miles west of the old mining town of Granite. The remote lake has a number of attractions for visitors, including 28 campsites, picnic tables and a boat ramp with two docks.

10. Bare Bones Bowling Alley

Formerly known as Nugget Lanes, the bowling alley located at 679 W. Main St. in John Day has reopened under new management. Open Friday-Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. (the adjoining bar has later hours), Bare Bones Bowling Alley features six bowling lanes plus pool, foosball, shuffle puck, video games and a snack bar.