Visitor Center
The visitor center at the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center features museum
exhibits of fossils recovered from the fossil beds, films, interpretive
talks, and programs for visiting school groups. The historic ranch house,
is the principal administrative headquarters for the monument, and also
includes an exhibit on local history.
Sheep Rock Unit
Sheep Rock Overlook
A short distance south of the visitor center is a viewpoint of Sheep Rock,
a colorful landform made of layers from the John Day Formation, and capped
by Picture Gorge Basalt. Exhibits at the Overlook include a memorial to
Thomas Condon, pioneer minister and naturalist, who was the first to bring
scientific attention to the fossil beds.
Picture Gorge Wayside
On Hwy 19, just north of Picture Gorge, is a pull-out and exhibit describing
how this impressive passageway formed.
Goose Rock
Cliffs, thrust upward by a system of faults, reveal river rocks deposited
at the ocean’s edge 100 million years ago. Today they provide a nesting
place for swallows and a stop-over for other migrating birds.
Blue Basin
Volcanic ash and soil layers from ancient landscapes make up this hidden
basin where spectacular canyons of blue-green claystone continue to reveal
fossils over 28 million years old. The Island in Time Trail (1-mile)
and Blue Basin Overlook Trail (3-miles) are two ways to experience
these vibrant badlands where evidence of an oreodont, a cat-like nimravid,
and a giant tortoise can also be found. Off-trail hiking in Blue Basin
is strictly prohibited.
Cathedral Rock
Tall spires of eroded claystones capped by the Picture Gorge Ignimbrite
create a natural cathedral along the John Day River. This landform resulted
when a large block of rock from the John Day Formation was dislodged and
slid toward the river diverting its flow.
Foree Picnic Area
Picnic tables and two short trails (1/4-mile each) offer views of sculpted
rocks with exhibits about ancient ecosystems and lava flows.
John Day River
Responsible for exposing the significant fossil resources, the river itself
is a wonderful site. Designated a National Wild and Scenic River, the
three forks of the John Day have their origin high in the Strawberry Mountains,
and flow northwest to meet the Columbia. The John Day is the largest undammed
river system west of the Rockies, and provides habitat for native fish,
precious water for agriculture, and miles of scenery for white water rafting.
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