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Grant County
Terrain
Grant County contains the headwaters of the John Day River, which has more miles of Wild and Scenic River designation than any other river in the United States. The terrain of the county varies from grassland steppes and rangelands, to steep, rugged, rocky high-alpine landscapes. Between these, the county contains heavily timbered land, many rolling hills, canyons and mountainous terrain. Portions of the county are technically high desert, dominated by sagebrush and sparse grasses. Grant County includes the southern part of the Blue Mountains and is situated in the heart of the largest stand of Ponderosa Pine in the world.
The geology of Grant County is rich, including one of the largest fossil concentrations in North America: The John Day Fossil Beds, which the U.S. Congress designated as a National Monument in 1974. Valuable metals, including gold, silver, platinum group elements, chrome, copper and cobalt, are found in the region. It was this mineral wealth, and the development of gold mines in particular, that spurred the permanent settlement of the area. Large zones of serpentine, a very ancient metamorphic rock (among the oldest on earth), dating from the early Mesozoic (Triassic) Era, are found in numerous locations.
The remnants of ferns, semi-tropical and temperate deciduous forests, shellfish, saber-toothed tigers, extinct horse and camel species, and giant sloth, among other extinct species found in the John Day Fossil Beds, are a reminder that the flora and fauna of the region has changed significantly over the millennia.
Strawberry Mountain
The elevation of the county varies from 1,820 on the John Day River near Kimberly, to 9,038 feet at the summit of Strawberry Mountain. Strawberry Mountain (an extinct volcano), the Granite peaks and boulders of the Elkhorn Mountains, and numerous rim rocks, lava flows and Basalt outcrops are evidence of the historic volcanic activity in the region. Hydrothermal resources are still present, with a number of hot and warm springs.
Wildlife in Grant County
The Strawberry Mountain wilderness area, southeast of John Day by way of Prairie City, managed by the Malheur National Forest , is one of the newer wilderness areas in the nation, and certainly one of the most accessible. Approximately 10,000 people visit the wilderness each year. Thirty trails, covering nearly 125 miles, are available to assist in your exploration of this pristine area!As you hike, watch for wildlife such as Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, antelope, black bear, cougar, California bighorn sheep, pileated woodpecker, sharp-shinned hawk, bald eagle, beaver, and many more. Throughout the Grant County area, there have been sightings of wildlife.
While deer, elk, pronghorn, cougar, bear and upland game bird populations thrive today, some of these animals were remarkably scarce 200 years ago. Explorers and trappers traveling through the region in the early 1800s remarked on the scarcity of game animals and their ability (or inability, as he case were) to find food. Native fish in the region include several trout species; warm water fish such as Bass and Perch are found in the lower John Day River; and migratory Salmon and Steelhead are found in the county seasonally. While Salmon and Steelhead returns to the John Day Basin experienced a sharp decline during the past 50 years, mainly due to the construction of large dams on the Columbia River, the major watercourses of John Day Basin remain free of physical obstructions, and the numbers of returning Salmon and Steelhead have improved in recent years, marking some of the best fish runs recorded in the past half-century.
Hunting
Grant County is unique in that it sits in the center of a hub of activity during Oregon's big game seasons. For years in the past, literally hundreds of hunters and outdoor sportsmen and women made Grant Count their destination point during the fall hunting season. Grant Count is still top of the line when it comes to outdoor adventure with rod and gun. Depending on the water conditions in Grant County, rod and reel affectionados can ply their skills on the many river and streams that dot the various parts of the county. The combination of Strawberry Lake and High Lake is a destination end for many that want to combine unsurpassed beauty with a little camping and fishing.
Grant County's John Day River
Most of Grant County is drained by the four forks of the John Day River, all of which have their headwaters in the county. The John Day River system drains some 7,900 square miles. It is the third longest free-flowing river in the “lower 48” and has more miles of federal “Wild and Scenic River” designation than any other river in the United States.
The river system in Grant County includes the upper 100 miles of the Main Stem, all of the 112 miles of the North Fork, all 75 miles of the Middle Fork, and all 60 miles of the South Fork of the John Day River. From Grant County, the lower John Day River flows another 184 miles to its confluence with the Columbia River. The southeastern corner of the county includes the headwaters of the Malheur and Little Malheur rivers, which find their way to the Snake River. The southern part of Grant County includes the northern-most reaches of the Great Basin, including the Silvies River watershed, which flows south into Harney Lake in the High Desert of Eastern Oregon. A small area in the southwestern corner of Grant County is in the Crooked River and Des Chutes River watersheds.
Temperature & Climate
Grant County is an arid to temperate region, with average annual precipitation ranging from 9 inches near Picture Gorge, to over 40 inches in the Strawberry Mountains. Annual precipitation in the valleys averages between 12 and 14 inches, while the uplands or highlands of the county average between 16 and 24 inches. Grant County averages between 40 and 60 days each year that see more than 0.10 inches of precipitation. Average temperatures in the county range from the warmest community, Monument, with average daily highs/lows of 90º/50º F in July and 42º/22º F in January; to the coolest community, Seneca, with average daily highs/lows of 80º/38º F in July and 33º/8º F in January. Extreme temperatures in the county show 30-year highs/lows of: 103º/-37º F at Austin; 112º/-23º F at John Day; 108º/-25º F at Long Creek; 112º/-26º F at Monument; and 100º/-48º F at Seneca. Grant County enjoys a great deal of sunshine, with an estimated 200 days of clear sunny or mostly sunny days, or an estimated 300 days of clear sunny, mostly sunny, or partly sunny days each year. The county experiences an estimated 65 days of overcast skies, with about 165 days of partly to mostly cloudy days annually.
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