← Back to Search

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

Designation: National Monument

Location: Oregon

Visit Official Park Website

📘 Park Overview

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.

🌤 Weather Information

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.

🚗 Directions

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.

Images

Sheep Rock

Sheep Rock, with the John Day River in the foreground

Credit: NPS Photo / Sue Anderson

Painted Hills

The Painted Hills on a stormy winter day.

Credit: NPS Photo / Scott Ritner

Clarno

The Clarno Palisades are remains of ancient volcanic mudslides.

Credit: NPS Photo

Paleontologist at work

The Thomas Condon Paleontology Center is both a visitor center and research center.

Credit: NPS Photo

White house surrounded by green with concrete path leading to the front

Cant Ranch house

Credit: NPS photo

Activities

Topics

Operating Hours

Sunday
All Day
Monday
All Day
Tuesday
All Day
Wednesday
All Day
Thursday
All Day
Friday
All Day
Saturday
All Day

Entrance Fees

No entrance fees listed.

Entrance Passes

No entrance passes listed.

3-Day Weather Forecast

Tuesday, Feb 3

Sunny

Sunny

High: 57.2°F | Low: 33.1°F

Humidity: 51%

Wind: 6.3 mph

Rain Chance: 0%

UV Index: 0.4

Sunrise: 07:16 AM

Sunset: 05:12 PM

Moon: Waning Gibbous (99%)

Visibility: 6 mi

Dew Point: 33.5°F

Cloud Cover: 0%

Pressure: N/A mb

Air Quality (PM2.5): N/A

Ozone: N/A

EPA Index: N/A

Wednesday, Feb 4

Sunny

Sunny

High: 59.5°F | Low: 39.6°F

Humidity: 48%

Wind: 6.3 mph

Rain Chance: 0%

UV Index: 0.4

Sunrise: 07:15 AM

Sunset: 05:14 PM

Moon: Waning Gibbous (95%)

Visibility: 6 mi

Dew Point: 36.1°F

Cloud Cover: 0%

Pressure: N/A mb

Air Quality (PM2.5): N/A

Ozone: N/A

EPA Index: N/A

Thursday, Feb 5

Sunny

Sunny

High: 57.6°F | Low: 38.5°F

Humidity: 53%

Wind: 6.3 mph

Rain Chance: 0%

UV Index: 0.4

Sunrise: 07:14 AM

Sunset: 05:15 PM

Moon: Waning Gibbous (89%)

Visibility: 6 mi

Dew Point: 36.9°F

Cloud Cover: 0%

Pressure: N/A mb

Air Quality (PM2.5): N/A

Ozone: N/A

EPA Index: N/A

Park Alerts

Use Caution on the Painted Hills Road
The unpaved road at the Painted Hills Unit is drying after intense rain on Wednesday night. It is mostly dry with some areas that are slippery and muddy. Please use caution while travelling on this road. Dry weather is predicted for the weekend.
Blue Basin Overlook Trail Closed Caution
The 3.25 - mile Blue Basin Overlook trail in the Sheep Rock unit is closed until further notice. A mudslide and trail washouts have created unsafe conditions for hiking. The shorter 1.3- mile Island In Time trail remains open.

More Info

Road Contruction on Highway 26 Information
Road crews are working on Highway 26 between the towns of John Day and Mt. Vernon. Expect delays of up to 20 minutes if you are travelling to or from the monument through the construction zone.
Blue Basin Overlook Trail Closed Caution
The 3.25 - mile Blue Basin Overlook trail in the Sheep Rock unit is closed until further notice. A mudslide and trail washouts have created unsafe conditions for hiking. The shorter 1.3- mile Island In Time trail remains open.

More Info

Four Wheel Drive Recommended to visit the Painted Hills Caution
The unpaved road at the Painted Hills is extremely muddy due to melting snow. Travel to the Painted Hills is currently recommended only for vehicles with four wheel drive.
Upcoming Area Closure Information
The area around the barn at the historic Cant Ranch will be closed to the public starting 9/19/25 for preservation work to replace the roof and support elements. The closure is estimated to last until 2/28/26. Please follow posted closure signs.
Clarno Unit Closed Due to Wildfire Danger
The Clarno Unit of the park is CLOSED until further notice due to danger from the Black Rock fire. The public is asked to stay out of the area as evacuation orders are in effect and to not hinder fire operations.

More Info

Clarno Unit Closed Due to Wildfire Danger
The Clarno Unit of the park is CLOSED until further notice due to danger from the Black Rock fire. The public is asked to stay out of the area as evacuation orders are in effect and to not hinder fire operations.
Area Closure - Cant Ranch Barn Information
The area around the barn at the Historic Cant Ranch is now closed to the public for preservation work to replace the roof and support elements. The closure is estimated to last until 2/28/26. Please follow posted closure signs.

More Info

Winter Storm Warning - Ice and Snow
The National Weather Service is forecasting ice and snow conditions in the eastern Oregon interior. Up to 1/4 inch of ice and 5-8 inches of snow is forecast Thursday. The Thomas Condon Paleontology Center may be closed if conditions warrant.

More Info

Visitor Center & Contacts

📍 Physical Address:
32651 Highway 19
Kimberly, OR 97848

🏤 Mailing Address:
32651 Highway 19
Kimberly, OR 97848

📞 Voice Phone: 5419872333

✉️ Email: joda_interpretation@nps.gov

Park Location

👏 Fun Fact
Loading fun fact...