What Is John Day Fossil Beds National Monument?
The three units of this park preserve an amazing Tertiary fossil record and colorful landforms that tell a story spanning 40 million years!
What Makes It Beautiful?
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is beautiful on so many scales! On a grand scale, the Painted Hlls unit is full of richly striped red, white, and tan hills! These hills tell us how wet or dry entire periods of prehistory were! On a middle scale, the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center in the Sheep Rock Unit displays the best fossils found in the park, from tiny horses to giant brontotheres! Lastly, appreciate the tiny beauties of the Clarno Unit, where delicate leaf imprints have been preserved on the boulders!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Volunteer at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument!
- Become a member of Discover Your Northwest!
- Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!
How Do I Get There?
Painted Hills Unit:
- 37375 Bear Creek Rd
Mitchell, OR 97750
Sheep Rock Unit:
- 32651 OR-19
Kimberly, OR 97848
Clarno Unit:
- 16.4 miles SE of Fossil, OR on OR-218
When Should I Visit the Park?
The outdoor areas are open daily from sunrise to sunset, while the paleontology center is open from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM!
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