About John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
Large rhino-like brontotheres roam a semitropical forest. Dog-sized, three-toed horses dart between the trees. The cat-like nimravid and bear dogs stalk their prey. The climate cools and forests alter to dryer grasslands. Saber tooth cats and camels get replaced by mountain lions and deer. Paleontologists learn more about the ancient animals and environment with every new fossil they discover.
Plan a Visit
Core visitor information on this page is sourced from the National Park Service. NPD proximity sections use NPS reference coordinates and straight-line distance. Local source bundle updated Sep 27, 2026. View the official NPS page.
Weather & Conditions
Weather conditions at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument are highly variable in this semi-arid desert landscape. Summer highs can climb into the 110's. Winters tend to be fairly mild, with occassional snow and ice and lows occasionally dipping into the single digits.
NPS Reference Location
Park state / territory membership: Oregon. This map uses the National Park Service reference coordinate. It may represent an administrative or reference point rather than a park entrance, trailhead, visitor center, or the nearest access point. Use the official NPS directions below when planning travel.
Operating Hours
All outdoor recreation opportunities in the park are open daily, including all overlooks and hiking trails at the park’s three units: Sheep Rock, Painted Hills, and Clarno.
Activities
Current Alerts
There is currently no water available at the Clarno Unit of the park. Please plan accordingly and bring water when visiting.
Getting There
John Day Fossil Beds encompasses 14,000 acres in three geographically separated units in Oregon: Sheep Rock Unit, Painted Hills Unit, and Clarno Unit. The Sheep Rock Unit is located between the towns of Dayville and Kimberly. The Painted Hills Unit is located 9 miles northwest of of the town of Mitchell. The Clarno Unit is located on Highway 218 twenty miles west of the town of Fossil.
View Official DirectionsContact & Address
The NPS-listed address may be an administrative office, visitor center, mailing/contact location, or other park facility rather than a park entrance.
Topics & Themes
Things To Do
John Day Fossil Beds Junior Ranger Program
Become a John Day Fossil Beds Junior Ranger
Layers of Life: Stories of Ancient Oregon
Layers of Life: Stories of Ancient Oregon
Fossil Gallery
Fossil gallery
Thomas Condon Overlook Trail
This 0.25 mi (0.4 km) long trail starts at the far end of the Thomas Condon Visitor Center parking lot…
Trail of Fossils
The Trail of Fossils is 0.25 mi (0.4 km) long and is the best trail in the monument to see…
Story in Stone Trail
The mostly level Story in Stone Trail loops through dramatic pillars of blue-green claystone rocks that make up the Turtle…
More Things to Do
Additional activities and experiences from the National Park Service.
Sheep Rock Overlook Trail
Starting at the front gate of the historic Cant home, this 0.5 mi (0.8 km) trail ends at an overlook with a…
River Trail
Starting at the Cant Ranch parking lot, this 0.6 mi (1 km) long trail passes through historic fields and alongside a historic…
Painted Cove Trail
The Painted Cove Trail is 0.25 mi (0.4 km) roundtrip. The Painted Cove is an amazing color palette of vibrant rocks. A…
Red Scar Knoll Trail
This mostly level trail is 0.25 mi (0.4 km) long and leads to a hill of bright yellow and red clays; called…
Painted Hills Overlook Trail
The Painted Hills Overlook Trail is 0.5 mile (0.8 km) roundtrip. This fairly level trail follows an old road and offers further distinctive…
Mascall Formation Overlook
This 430 ft (131 m) roundtrip trail leads to a scenic view of the Mascall Formation, Picture Gorge, and John Day Valley.
Leaf Hill Trail
This trail is 0.25 mi (0.4 km) roundtrip. Leaf Hill has been extensively excavated and studied by paleontologists. Signs explain more of…
Island in Time Trail
This 1.3 mi (2.1 km) trail follows the canyon floor and ascends 200 ft (60 m) in elevation through blue-green badlands. Exhibits…
Geologic Time Trail
Travel in time between the past and present on this 0.5 mi (0.8 km) path connecting the Trail of Fossils and the…
Flood of Fire Trail
Mostly easy with several stair steps, this 0.5 mi (0.8 km) long trail ends at a dramatic cliff face and a view…
Clarno Arch Trail
This 0.5 mi (0.8 km) trail climbs almost 200 ft (60 m) in height to the base of the Palisades to a…
Blue Basin Overlook Trail
The Blue Basin Overlook Trail is a 3.25 mi (5.2 km) trail that climbs 760 ft (230 m) in elevation to an…
Showing 18 of 19 NPS Things to Do records available for John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.
Visitor Centers
Thomas Condon Visitor Center
Located in the Sheep Rock Unit, the Thomas Condon Visitor Center is a National Park Service research facility containing an outstanding paleontology lab dedicated to…
Historic Cant Ranch Museum
Enjoy the exhibits on the ground floor of the Historic Cant Ranch Museum located in the Sheep Rock Unit. It features artifacts from some of…
Nearby National Park Service Sites
These sites are ordered by straight-line distance between NPS reference coordinates. This is useful for comparison, but it is not road mileage. Trails, parkways, rivers, and distributed units may extend far from their reference point.
Nearby Cities for Trip Planning
These cities are ordered by straight-line distance from the NPS reference coordinate. They are comparison starting points, not official park gateways or road-distance estimates. Trails and other distributed units may extend far beyond this reference point.
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