The Ochocos are busting out all over.

The meadows, never greener, are buzzing with life. Wildflowers mountain bluebells, desert parsley, false hellebore and a host of others are preparing their annual pyrotechnics. A warm breeze hints at things to come.

Nows the time to check out the wonderfully neglected mountains to the east.

We piled in to the car and headed for Prineville, gateway to one of the most pleasant national forests in the state.

Prinevilles a good place to fill up the rig with gas and grab a bite or two to eat before you shift into adventure mode. For a small town, Prineville has some bigtime dining.

We were headed for the Lookout Mountain area where wed heard of an old cinnabar mine dating back to the late 1800s. There are actually two mines the Independent and the Mother Lode that used to produce cinnabar and distill it into mercury.

We parked near the junction of Road 42 and Road 4205 and walked up 4205 (its drivable if youve got a high-clearance vehicle). About a half-mile up the road on the left is the prettiest little meadow Ive come across in a long while. At the bottom of the slope sits whats left of the Independent Mine, a conglomeration of derelict buildings that whispers volumes about the past.

The log cabin there was built in the early 20th century, the first structure in what was to become a small, family-owned operation, according to Ochoco National Forest archaeologist Terry Holtzapple. The Mother Lode Mine, about a half-mile farther up the road near the Lookout Mountain Trailhead, was the larger operation. There, the Department of Environmental Quality has removed tons of mercury-contaminated soil that was leaching into a nearby stream.

Viewed from the gravel road above, the Independent is postcard pretty.

At about 6,000 feet above sea level, the mine is bounded by a mixed old-growth conifer forest and some big grassy meadows.

Vehicles are prohibited on the mine site, but people can walk to the Independent to take photos and listen for those whispers. But, Holtzapple stressed, leave all artifacts where they are. Its a historic site and all the old machinery and paraphernalia is protected by law.

The same goes for the Mother Lode, claimed in 1899 as a gold and copper mine and transformed into a mercury mine when prices peaked during World War II. Some structures were removed in the cleanup, but the big processing mill with its kiln and cooling coils was left standing.

Even though the Mother Lode was declared clean, common sense should prevail while visiting the area.

The health hazard from mercury is eating it so dont eat the dirt, she said.

Where the road curves around to the left between the two mine sites, the view is sublime. Mountain ridges roll off to the west, each a little less in focus than the last.

While the history and the countryside are the star attractions, the drive to and from the area provides pleasant surprises of its own. A vodka-clear creek burbles alongside Road 42 and small meadows may send visions of the perfect campsite wafting through your mind.

Wildlife is abundant.

Before the day was over, we saw deer, Canada geese and several pronghorn.