Oregon National Monuments

9/21/2013 Got to the Painted Hills unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument and parked at the Overlook Trail. Took a short hike to view the very pretty hills with many pastel colors in brown, red, yellow and green flowing from one to the other. Continued east to the Mascall Formation Overlook (on the Journey Through Time Oregon Scenic Byway) to see the types of rock formations that contain the many fossils. The area was covered with lava (which created the local basalt, with hexagonal pillar formations) from what is now the Yellowstone volcano area (the landmass moved). Back a little to the park VC for a nice display of fossils and people working on uncovering others.

Painted Hills Unit park sign

A panorama of the hills

Me blocking a nice view

Cool pastel colors

A panorama of the formations in the fossil area

Sheep Rock Unit park sign

Good exhibits at the Paleontology VC ...

... including people working on fossils

9/19/2024 and we finally arrived at the parking area for the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument and NNL. Colorful rock formations here preserve a world class record of plant and animal evolution, changing climate, and past ecosystems that span over 40 million years. We were at the base of some huge looming cliff walls, looking all the more spectacular in the late low sun. Here we picked up a trail that had periodic information markers detailing the biological and geological history going steadily back in time. We took the little over ¼-mile meandering trail around the base of the cliffs in the warm but pleasant weather. We looked for fossils, and Ken did spot one that pretty clearly seemed to be a leaf, but nothing else jumped out at us.

The park sign

View from the parking area ...

... and a little closer

Interpretive signage

Ken and me regular shot ...

... and cool 360

Beautiful view in low sun ...

... and a selfie

bio- and geological history

Ken photos signage ...

... and what it describes

A couple more views ...

... of the formation

Ken photos ...

... his fossil find

One last shot before we leave

5/20/1998 Continued up to Oregon and to Oregon Caves NM (very steep, winding, wet roads - had snow earlier). Had a quick lunch at the coffee shop of the beautiful, rustic lodge [Oregon Caves Chateau NHL] at the caves (who knew?). Took the winter cave tour using the original entrance up to the current entrance (shorter tour, more info). Usual cave stuff; saw 60 foot roots of a fir tree growing down into the cave; good tour guide.

Me on the cave tour

Fir tree roots growing down into the cave

Usual cave stuff

Oregon Caves Chateau

National Monuments - Oregon