Start Your Tour of the John Day Fossil Beds at the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center . The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is one of the most impressive outdoors attractions in the state of Oregon. You can explore trails, go river rafting and even enjoy an afternoon of fishing at the John Day Fossil Beds, but plan to spend at least a few hours learning about the amazing fossils located here,too!
The Thomas Condon Paleontology Center is located at Sheep Rock Unit within the National Monument in Kimberly, Oregon. This is the best place to start your exploration of the incredible John Day Fossil Beds. The Thomas Condon Paleontology Center features a Museum with a variety of exhibits, special interpretive programs, and audiovisual presentations on fossils, geology, and paleontology research.
As you tour the Paleontology Center Museum, you’ll learn about the geology and fossils at the John Day Fossil Beds, plus the evolution traced in the more than 40,000 item fossil collection amassed at the Center. You can also view the Paleontology Center’s fossil preparation laboratory for a fascinating glimpse at the ongoing research and methodology used by paleontologists here.
You can start your tour of the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center by requesting to view an 18 minute orientation film. You can then begin exploring the diverse exhibits at the Museum, including displays of fossils covering 40 million years of animal and plant evolution.
The Horse Family Tree exhibit is one of the many intriguing displays at the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center that you’ll see on your tour. This exhibit details the evolution of the horse over the course of millions of years and features fossils that illustrate the horse’s adaptation to the changing environment.
Another exhibit features a scale model of the large nimravid, Pogonodon platycopis in attack position. The Rattlesnake Formation exhibit includes fossils and a detailed representation of how the area appeared 7 million years ago. These are just a few of the exhibits at the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center.
In addition to viewing the exhibits at the Paleontology Center at Sheep Rock Unit, you may be able to attend a special talk presented by a park Ranger. Sheep Rock talks are available Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 pm, June through September. Talks may not be available if another program is being held at the Center.
20 miles west of the town of Fossil on Highway 218
Fossil, Oregon 97830
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