The John Day river is a quite coastal river merging with the mighty Columbia river just a few miles before it empties in to the Pacific Ocean. Spruce bogs and house boats line its banks, gulls wheel overhead, and fisherman ply its briny tide-infused waters.
I found the marsh forest downstream of the boat launch where I flew to be particularly interesting, as it was practically impossible to view from the ground, and completely impenetrable to exploration otherwise. The huge old spruce trees seem to rise out of a lake of tangled brush and deciduous trees - what a mysterious and wonderful place!
