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more photosThe Sheep Rock Unit shows the layered landscape you’ll see if you undertake the fossil loop around the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.
The Bulletin staff photos
Layers of History
Published: September 01. 2009 4:00AM PSTIn Oregon, the Earth seems almost eager to share its paleo past. Riverbeds offer up fossilized teeth, mountains erode to reveal extinct mammals, rock beds teem with fossilized leaves from ancient forests, and the state’s shores wash up ancient marine specimens. And here in Central Oregon, we’re ideally situated to learn about it all.
Here's How:
Plan a long day trip or a more leisurely weekend exploring the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument (www.nps.gov/joda). You’ll have access to very little of this scenic and layered landscape, but you’ll learn enough in the interpretive centers and on short hikes at the three units that fringe the area to intrigue you about the research that’s going on in the interior. A side stop in Fossil allows you to plunder in the rock beds and take home a couple of handfuls of leaf fossils.
Clarno Unit
Walk the Trail of the Fossils, a timeline of the last 50 million years, with each foot of trail representing 37,000 years. You can start at either end, either going backward or forward in time. The nearby Hancock Field Station, operated by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, offers programs on geology, ecology and paleontology.
Fossil
Outside the monument, visit the designated fossil beds behind Wheeler County High School. For $5, you can split delicate layers of rock in search of the perfect fossilized leaf. Also stop at the new Oregon Paleo Lands Institute, at 333 Fourth Street. See www.paleolands.org.
Painted Hills Unit
You’re there primarily for the scenery, but there are short trails, including one on Leaf Hill, where loads of plant fossils have been found. Go at dawn or dusk for the most vivid colors.
Sheep Rock Unit
The Thomas Condon Paleontology Center has a top-flight collection of mammal fossils and is the best place to get an overview of the area’s geology and the paleontological work being done at the monument. The staff will suggest nearby trails, including the interpretive Island in Time Trail, which shows how fossils look when they protrude from the earth.
Fossil collecting
Fossil hunting for personal use is legal in some places, including highway rights-of-way — if you coordinate with the ODOT district maintenance manager before you go. Rules regarding collections from the state’s beaches can be found at www.oregonfossilguy.com. Fossil collecting is permitted on private land with the owner’s permission, but a collecting permit is required for public lands and parks. Collecting is prohibited in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.
Getting involved
• The North American Research Group, amateur and professional paleontologists, hold workshops and lead field trips in the Pacific Northwest. See www.narg-online.com.
• Geological Society of the Oregon Country, amateur and professional geologists, lead seminars about geology and paleontology. www.gsoc.org
• Want to know more about fossil hunting on the coast or set up a fossil tour there? Visit www.oregonfossilguy.com.
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