JOHN DAY FOSSIL BEDS - MAY 18th

"Under the hills and valleys of Eastern Oregon is one of the richest fossil beds on Earth, an ancient record spanning most of the Age of Mammals."  NPS Brochure

We stayed two days at Clyde Holliday State Park in John Day so we could see the long awaited fossil beds. At an overlook on the way to the Visitor Center, we found interpretive signs and impressive views.

The Thomas Condon Paleontology Center is a National Park Service research facility as well as the Visitor Center. The picture windows allow you to view the laboratory and even watch the technicians work.

The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument consists of three units. This is Sheep Rock, from which the Easternmost unit gets its name. 

In the fossil museum gallery, you can walk through 40 million years of the Age of Mammals. Hundreds of fossil specimens are displayed, along with eight large murals depicting plants and animals of that time. Each display explains the geology then and now.

After exploring the Visitor Center, we drove to the trailhead for the 'Island in Time'. We ate the lunches we had packed and set out for the trail just as it began to rain. We postponed our walk.

On our way back to our campground, we saw a sign for fresh eggs and pulled in.  We were greeted by a woman and a very friendly dog.  She told us that she had 130 chickens.

We bought a dozen large eggs for $4 and so did Nikki.