The Vinegar Hill-Indian Rock Scenic Area is a high-elevation scenic area in the northeast portion of the Malheur National Forest in the state of Oregon. It provides vistas of the

North Fork John Day Wilderness The North Fork John Day Wilderness is a wilderness area within the Umatilla and Wallowa–Whitman National Forests in the Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon. The wilderness consists of four separate units: the main unit of the North Fork Jo ...

, the Middle and North Fork drainages of the John Day River, and the peaks of the

Strawberry Mountain Wilderness Strawberry Mountain Wilderness is a wilderness area of the Strawberry Mountain Range, within Malheur National Forest in the Blue Mountains of east Oregon. The area comprises , including mountain peaks and several lakes, and contains more than o ...

to the south. Many species of alpine wildflower found west of the Rocky Mountains grow in the area. Big game species and upland game birds are common. The area's rich geologic past means a variety of rock formations including basalt,

rhyolite Rhyolite ( ) is the most silica-rich of volcanic rocks. It is generally glassy or fine-grained (aphanitic) in texture, but may be porphyritic, containing larger mineral crystals (phenocrysts) in an otherwise fine-grained groundmass. The mineral ...

, granite, and shales can be seen here. The area has a history of mining, and active and decaying remains of mines can be seen. Motor vehicles are prohibited, except during winter when snowmobiles are allowed. A portion of the Vinegar Hill-Indian Rock Scenic Area lies within the Desolation Watershed.Desolation Ecosystem Analysis
- Umatilla National Forest, July 2, 1999

References

{{coord , 44.73 , -118.63 , type:landmark_region:US-OR , display=title Protected areas of Oregon Malheur National Forest