390kms southeast of Portland, Oregon, stands a very special place. A land so unique, it feels like you’re exploring a different planet. From its Mars like rock formations, to its multi-coloured hills, it's a photographers dream.
Welcome to The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument!
The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is managed by the National Parks Service. It was established in 1975. It's best known for its well preserved layers of fossils. Some of the fossils found in the area, date back to 44 million years ago. The park is split into three different units. Sheep Rock, Painted Hills and Clarno. The park covers an area of 13,944 acres and it's an incredibly unique place.
The area is now classed as a semi-desert landscape but it was once a wet, semi-tropical place. A place where plants like palm trees and avocados would grow. A series of volcanic eruptions swept through the area, burying and preserving plants and animals. It was once a hotspot for animals like giant saber-toothed cats, small 3-toed horses, and large rhino like animals. Fossils are continually being exposed in the area by natural erosion.
As Ben and I made our way through the United States, we zig zagged across each state. We didn't want to miss a thing. I'm glad we decided to venture away from the coast, otherwise we would have missed this beauty. It ended up being one of the highlights of our 3 month trip across America. I found the diversity of Oregon astounding. From the lush, green coast, to the dry, almost desert like interior. The drive from Portland was quite varied. Below you can see a snow covered Mount Adams, towering over hot, dry farmland. Quite the contrast.
To get to the John Day Fossil Beds, we took the Journey Through Time scenic byway. We stopped at the Sheep Rock Unit first. Each unit is unique and needs to be seen to believed. I only wish we could have spent more time exploring the park. You need at least 2 days to fully appreciate the area. We simply ran out of time and did not get to see the Clarno unit. We did however get to enjoy some quality time at both the Sheep Rock Unit, and the Painted Hills Unit.
Sheep Rock Unit
The largest and the most visited unit in the park. Here you will find the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center. There is a very interesting fossil museum inside, as well as an information centre. At the museum, you can read about the fossils found throughout the region. There's also a fair few of them on display too.
Also at the visitor centre, there's the Thomas Condon Overlook. From here, you get an excellent view of Sheep Rock, as well as the John Day River valley.
Nearby is the James Cant Ranch. There stands a beautiful, old, double story building. It was constructed in the early 20th century by Scottish immigrants, James and Elizabeth Cant. It’s now the National Park Service headquarters. You can explore the grounds at your leisure. The grounds are very well kept and there are also various outbuildings to see. Some of the old farming equipment is on display as well. I very much enjoyed exploring this ranch. The view of Sheep Rock from this location is good too.
Painted Hills Unit
The Painted Hills are one of the seven wonders of Oregon. These beauties get their name from the coloured stripes they wear so well. They were formed over 35 million years ago by different volcanic eruptions and changing climates. Each layer tells a story of a different geological era. It’s easy to see why they’re called the Painted Hills. Mother Nature was hard at work when she made these.
The colours within the clay hills change with the season, the light and the weather. If you're interested in capturing the Painted Hills in all their glory, it's best to visit in the afternoon. The light is much more favourable this time of day and it really makes the colours pop. Can you imagine a beautiful sunset cast over this stunning landscape?
While exploring the Painted Hills area, we also came across this Mars like area. This is Painted Cove. There’s a cool boardwalk that runs through this delicate red rock. The huge cracks in the surface and the vibrant colour, really made us feel like we were on another planet.
