John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

A very unique National Monument in the nps. Broken up into many units, each has something special to offer. The drives to each site are very scenic as well. Have a preplanned route available as you will lose gps. Sites designated as monuments often are just as scenic and wonderful as National Parks with none of the accolades nor the crowds. If you have an extra day in Oregon, it is worth the visit.

The John Day Fossil Beds are absolutely stunning and a must-see in Oregon. The Painted Hills are surreal—like walking on another planet. The hiking trails are easy to moderate and offer incredible views. The visitor centers are informative and well-done, with cool fossil exhibits. A perfect mix of science, scenery, and solitude.

Great place to visit. But the lack of info due to years of neglect is obvious! My kids enjoy reading that info at each viewpoint, but most of them have been removed or destroyed years ago and never been replaced. With all the tax payers money going into all these parks. What are they doing with our money and How lazy can they be?

Small state recreation area on BLM land that is stunningly beautiful to visit. Short trails. Bring plenty of water if the weather is warm.

This monument is split into 3 units - Sheep Rock, Painted Hills and Clarno. We hiked the Blue Basin Overlook Trail and part of the Island in Time Trail. Great views from the top. The Painted Hills are beautiful and unusual in this environment. We saw a few fossils at the Clarno unit, mostly plants. The visitor centre had an extremely interesting display with lots of information about the wildlife that used to roam the area. We visited in June and had lovely weather.

Very beautiful, don't let the name fool you, you only see fossils at the visitor center, I highly recommend you so there as well!

This part of Central Oregon is gorgeous, well worth your time and the drive. When we visited the three John Day beds which are about an hour apart, the traffic was very light and there was hardly anybody there.

Definitely worth the visit, if you can go later in the day the colors come alive!

We visited all 3 units last week, checking out some new sites and revisiting others. The Blue Basin at the Sheep Rock Unit is simply stunning, a must-see for sure. We also finally made it to the Clarno Unit and took all 3 trails. Just a gorgeous setting, and amazing to get right up to the arch. We love the Fossil Beds, all 3 units are amazing...highly recommend!

Well worth the stops! There are 3 units in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument...Clarno, Sheep Rock and Painted Hills. There are such beautiful views just driving into the national monument. We drove in from the east (Baker City). Our first stop was the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center to grab some trail maps and use their very clean restrooms. From there, we headed to the Foree Trailhead. We passed the majestic Cathedral Rock...so picturesque! The Foree trail allowed us to get up close to the basalt rock formations. We then headed to the Painted Hills unit, about an hours drive. We hiked the Painted Cove and Painted Hills Overlook Trails. Both had awesome views of the colorful geologic formations. We spent the night in Madras, then headed to the Clarno unit to capture some fossils. We hiked the Trail of Fossils and Geologic Time trails. Both wers great for different reasons, one for the awesome views of the large rock formations and the other for a glimse of leaf imprints and large petrified logs! Most trails are short and well worth it. There are plenty of benches along the trails, to rest, or just take in the scenery. Would highly recommend!

Where the wild things were... and are. John Day Fossil Beds NM is an underrated Oregon attraction. John Day Fossil Beds NM has three units- Sheep Rock, Clarno, and Painted Hills. There's a visitor's center highlighting the fossils discovered in the ancient ash beds. It's surprisingly accessible, despite its remote location. One can see ancient pictograms carved into the rocks by Native Americans, fossils of animals long extinct, stunning geological formations like the towering Palisades of the Clarno Unit, and there are plenty of living creatures like lizards darting among the rocks. Geologist/minister Thomas Condon explored the fossil beds; there is a museum/lab named in his honor. The highlight of John Day Fossil Beds NM are the spectacular Painted Hills. A stunning rainbow of colors, formed from volcanic ash, one could spend hours there in contemplation. A gorgeous place, worth the trip.

The Painted Hills are amazing and a treasure to visit. The array of natural reds, yellows, greens, grays and specks of black covering the hills is a must to see. The work of Mother Nature and time has outdone themselves. Seeing you can see the parks in under two hours and it is accessible to people of all levels of physical ability. Also, drive the extra 45min to the Blue Basin. It's a great compliment to Paint Hills with a landscape of Blue!

Wow. This is definitely in my top five for the state of Oregon (and is one of the "Seven Wonders of Oregon" according to Travel Oregon.) My wife and I stopped by on the way back from Boise taking Highway 26 (highly recommended route,) and I wish we stayed in the John Day area for the weekend instead. The Painted Hills are spectacular, and the landscape is dramatic and beautiful. Apparently there is an area where you can collect fossils, which I will definitely need to check out next time. On Labor Day, there was almost nobody at the visitor center and yet it was still open. Great photo opportunities to show people back at home. Some of my friends from Portland were surprised that the Fossil Beds and the Painted Hills existed in the same state that they live in! I recommend stopping by here on a road trip, or even to spend a relaxing weekend. If you like geology and archaeology, this place is right up your alley.

Oh my goodness. How do I even explain the beauty of this area? The viewing trail of the Painted Hills is just spectacular. Unfortunately, I THOUGHT I lost my phone while we were on the main trail. There is no phone service within about 20 miles of this isolated area, so W couldn't call my phone to try to find it. Since I was freaking out, we spent the rest of the day trying to find my phone instead of walking the other trails. Two days later I found my phone under the car seat. DOH! I can't wait to return to the painted hills to walk the other trails. I also recommend the fossil museum and the Blue Basin trail. They are both AMAZING. The most beautiful part of the Blue Basin is not visible from the road, so it is necessary to take a short easy hike to see some of the beauty. If you want to see even more of the Blue Basin, you can walk further.

This is one amazing place that will need more that a day to explore. It may be out of the way, but it's well worth the effort getting there. The landscape is spectacular and simply amazing. The visitors center is something that you definitely need to visit. They have some amazing collection of fossils found in the area and would delight prehistoric animals fan. In addition to the amazing Fossil collections, the murals are also beautiful. Make sure to take some water with you and if you are traveling with your dog, be aware that it gets really hot at certain time of the year. Best time to go is late spring.

John Day Fossil beds is the location of one of the 7 Wonders of Oregon: The Painted Hills. It's a very unique location that has incredible terrain colors from millions of years of climate change causing the soil and rock to transform. You'll find great red, green, yellow, and black hues on the earth here making for very picturesque Instagram moments. The Painted Hills are about and hour and 45 minutes from Bend if you're coming from the west. You'll go through Prineville, and that's the last civilization you'll find for the next hour, so be sure to fuel and snack up. The Painted Hills themselves don't have much in terms of amenities. There is a rest area with vaulted toilets at the entrance...that's it. Driving a little farther up the gravel road, you'll find the main viewpoint. There are a few hikes available, but they only range from 1/4 mile to 1/2 mile roundtrip. I was a little surprised that the viewpoint was so lacking in information about how the hills were formed. But it's still a worthwhile trip for any Oregonian.

I visited here before the days of GPS and I have to say I made so many wrong turns. But the journey is the destination, right? I am sure everyone today with their smart phone will arrive easily. Then again, we all need to get lost in nature every now and then anyway. You will literally be walking among the history of our planet as this park preserves the changing ecosystems of the past 40 million years. Begin your adventure at the visitor center. There are some fossils and exhibits to learn more about where you are. Of course you should always watch the national park video too! The Painted Hills was one of the highlights for me. It is not every day you see hills "painted" in red and yellow.

Clarno Unit - August 2012 A million years is a long time. 102 degrees is very hot. Hiking through rocks millions of years old while the temperature hovers around 102 is unforgettable. Who can put a price on a place like this? What you invest in sweat equity (and you will sweat) is paid back in the experience of being in the presence of such longevity. These rocks have been here a long time. Before the basalt flows that covered Eastern Oregon in lava, before the rains and erosion created the Palisades, the amazing rock rampart here that looks like an ancient, battered castle wall. But you don't have to lay siege to this place. You just have to get here. And that's fairly easy to do. The John Day folks have created a picnic area and parking lot, replete with water fountains, for you to access the area without risking life and limb. Is it hot? Sure. In August. But there is something mystical about being here in the hot and dry season. You'll feel the heat soak into your soul. It's not hell; it's planet earth. And it's beautiful. Rugged. Remote. Rough-edged. Enduring. Exquisite. Exhilarating. If you like the Badlands, you'll love the John Day fossil beds. And if you make it this far, you'll have discovered a part of Oregon, and North America, that rarely makes the headlines. That's OK. It doesn't need to. It's not beautiful in a conventional sense. It's not like that. It's different. And therein lies its charm.

There are three units to the National Monument. In my opinion, Painted Hills is the best of the bunch. Clarno unit, you can hike some fairly short trails and you can see some fossilized leaves in the rocks. (Go to Fossil and you can dig some up yourself and keep from the hill behind the high school. It takes a little doing, but you can find some leaves, I did). Painted hills is really beautiful and the classic image you see is the one you see first. A couple of other trails are take you close to some smaller hills to see them close up. First visit, some idiot had walked on one. This time, all nice and unmarred. Please keep it that way for all to enjoy. Dusty road here in the summer. Sheep rock unit is where I went on this trip. Way the heck out there. Nice drive. Once there, didn't really live up to my expectations. The Blue Basin is a blueish green clay. If you see it really blue in pictures, they have been enhanced. There are some replica fossils on the trail. You aren't going to see "real" fossils on this one. Cant ranch was closed on my visit, but you can stroll across the grounds. The Center with the fossil exhibits is nice. Fairly small, but that's ok. Good exhibit. There is a window where you can watch the scientist exposing a fossil. Looks like hard work.

We visited Painted Hills and Blue Basin, so neat of the natural beauty these areas present. Painted hills has 4 spots to stop off at will little hikes to check out different parts of the park. Note its a dirt road from the visitors center throughout the park. Blue Basin requires a little hike in, about 20 min, its worth it. The shorter hike takes you to the floor of the basin, while the long one will take you around along the top. The shorter one was just fine for us, it was 95 out so it was actually plenty! all of it beautiful, and the photos you take won't do the justice!

This place is awesome! Especially if you love fossils. If you are in the area make sure to check out the Painted hills. I highly recommend them at dawn or dusk, the colors are amazing! The museum is great to see what has been found in the area and to learn about the geological formations of the land. I also like that you can peak into the lab and see what the scientist are doing. It was pretty slow when we went so not to much excitement. Still it is a cool concept. Over all this place rocks! hehe

The 3 units of John day fossil bed national monument- "Clarno unit / Painted hills unit / sheep rock unit, we got to visit all 3 units because we found this wonderful cattle ranch call WRR (Wilson Ranches Retreat) bed & breakfast, we meet real cowboys & cowgirls, stay at this country warm & cozy ranches which was a great location for us to visit all 3 units within too much daily drive, John Day- I can use 1 simple word to describe "Beautiful! " sometimes rain was drizzling down but that didn't stop us from hiking up & down the hills to see beautiful colorful rocks. the formations at John Day fossil Beds preserve a world record of plant and animal evolution. were also suggested to see the "blue basin"amazing experiences by seeing a Turkish blue creek flow through forming poodles of basin (unforgettable beauty) so If you like seeing historical landmarks or interesting about fossils, I wish you can take a trip to Fossil Oregon. (so far a fee free parks)

All I have to say is this place is amazing, I can't believe it took me this long to visit here and I lived in Oregon all my life. Check out the visitor center and picnic area as you come in to the park, it's really pretty and well cared for. Also make sure you do the main hiking site (red hill?) last as it is the best! Hiking is great here.

We visited the Painted Hills and Clarno unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument this week. Outstanding vistas, lots of wildlife, and great people in the small towns of Mitchell, and Fossil. We highly recommend bicycling through the Painted Hills. You get many clear views of the hills, and you also get the chance to enjoy the silence and stillness of the place. The 3.5 mile Blue Basin Overlook Trail is fantastic! My daughter said, "Just seeing the blue-green rock formations was stunning, but it got better and better as we climbed the trail and got to see the wide vista of the surrounding area."

The Painted Hills area is a badlands encompassing over 3000 acres of surreal Mars-like landscapes that are awe-inspiring and unlike anything you've ever seen before. As you enter the area on Burnt Ranch Road, spurring north from US Rte 26 just west of Mitchell, you will see some unusually round clayey red hills on the right, but be careful to drive safely without craning your neck because you gotta make it to the end of the pavement, turn left on the well-groomed gravel road (even low-clearance vehicles are okay), and enter the most picturesque section of the Painted Hills where drastic contrasts of yellow and red bentonite clay make you feel like you're driving a NASA buggy through a Martian canyon. The hills almost resemble rounded scoops of banana and berry sherbet. There are a few hikes in the region with helpful signs pointing to each trailhead, but even the most sedentary folks can enjoy an overlook from a lofty parking lot. There is even a short section of the Painted Cove Trail which is boardwalked to accomodate wheelchair touring. Surely, the Painted Cove Trail is the brightest, prettiest and most colorful, and it offers your best chance to get up close to the strange bentonite clay soils, which are like clusters of Play Doh-like putty that has cleaved into chunks resembling pieces of popcorn. When you read the little interpretive signs along the trail, you will feel like an expert on bentonite--such as how it expands in mass to soak up the area's rare rainfalls--but what I didn't know until later is that they make that "Colon Cleanse" stuff out of it. You're not supposed to touch the soil because it is very sensitive, but I couldn't resist brushing it gently with my finger. Pretty weird! All of the hikes are easy to moderate, but they can be combined together to get your blood pumping pretty decently. There are no services or staff at this unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, so come prepared and police yourself and your party so that others may enjoy this place. I was so enraptured by the place that I bought a book about Oregon geology a couple days later at Powell's.

This national monument is totally awesome! Spend a day. . .spend two or three. It's beautiful, awe inspiring, educational, and thoroughly worth the journey!

Spent the morning gazing at the Painted Hills and still can't get over the mezmorizing landscapes. This place is truly a wonder of the natural world and so worth the drive (around 1:45 from Sisters or Bend). The drive itself was wonderful...great road and views along the way. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed by taking the time to trek to the Painted Hills. It is certainly a trip I will always remember fondly and I would highly recommend a visit.

Been in Oregon all my life and first time to the Painted Hills. Amazing I tells ya! Only 45 minutes east of Prineville, and an easy drive from Salem (3.5 hours drive time). The hills are beyond impressive, with easy walking trails and car ways. You can even walk "thru" them in the Painted Cove. It was barely littered with people when we went in mid-may. Temps around 70 and partly sunny. I would suggest against going when it gets hot, as it is a desert.

We ran across picture gorge and John Day Fossil Beds National Monument as we traveled west on Rt 26 on our bike ride across country. It was amazing scenery, landscape, and geology. Transitioned from arid valley to a deep river gorge created by the John Day River which carved through 17 layers of lava flows ranging from 5 to 65 million years old. These flows contain some of the best examples of post dinosaur fossils in the world. Used to be bananas, avocados, and alligators in Central Oregon. The visitor center was excellent with great descriptions of the various eras exposed by the river and sample fossils. Could have spent all day there.