North Fork John Day Overlook Interpretive Site

North Fork John Day Overlook Interpretive Site sits at mile 127 of 133 along the Blue Mountain byway, at 5,458 feet, facing 210 degrees. The terrain drops 379 feet within 600 meters of the site. The overlook is located just off Forest 52 and looks out over the North Fork John Day Wilderness, the river basin, and the Bridge Creek Wildlife area. Fire scars from the Tower Fire, which burned over 50,000 acres in 1996, are visible along the route and from the overlook itself. Peaks visible from the site include Putney Mountain to the south-southwest at 12.7 miles (5,244 ft), Jumpoff Joe Peak to the south at 16.6 miles (6,851 ft), Willow Creek Butte to the southwest at 16.8 miles (4,526 ft), Indian Rock to the south at 19.8 miles (7,352 ft), Donaldson Rock to the south-southeast at 20.0 miles (7,358 ft), and Ritter Butte to the southwest at 20.9 miles (4,212 ft). Pilot Rock lies 30.9 miles north, with La Grande 38.1 miles east-northeast and Island City 40.5 miles east-northeast. On the December solstice, sunrise is at 07:31 and sunset at 16:17; on the June solstice, sunrise is at 05:09 and sunset at 20:46.