John Day Fossil Beds

https://www.nps.gov/joda/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acadia_National_Park John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is a U.S. National Monument in Wheeler and Grant counties in east-central Oregon. Located within the John Day River basin and managed by the National Park Service, the park is known for its well-preserved layers of fossil plants and mammals that lived in the region between the late Eocene, about 45 million years ago, and the late Miocene, about 5 million years ago. The monument consists of three geographically separate units: Sheep Rock, Painted Hills, and Clarno Colorful rock formations at John Day Fossil Beds preserve a world class record of plant and animal evolution, changing climate, and past ecosystems that span over 40 million years. Exhibits and a working lab at the Thomas Condon Visitor Center, as well as scenic drives and hikes at all three units, allow visitors to explore the prehistoric past of Oregon and see science in action. John Day Fossil Beds encompasses 14,000 acres in three geographically separated units in Oregon: Sheep Rock Unit, Painted Hills Unit, and Clarno Unit. The Sheep Rock Unit is located between the towns of Dayville and Kimberly. The Painted Hills Unit is located 9 miles northwest of of the town of Mitchell. The Clarno Unit is located on Highway 218 twenty miles west of the town of Fossil. Historic Cant Ranch Museum Enjoy the exhibits on the ground floor of the Historic Cant Ranch museum, featuring artifacts from some of the Native Americans who inhabited the region, and stories from homesteaders describing early ranch life. Learn about James and Elizabeth Cant's experience immigrating to John Day Basin from Scotland in the early 1900s, raising a family, and living off the land until their deaths in the early 1970s. From the HWY 26/HWY 19 junction, drive two miles north on HWY 19 and the museum and parking lot are located on the right-hand side (East side) of the road. Thomas Condon Visitor Center Located in the Sheep Rock Unit, the Thomas Condon Visitor Center is a National Park Service research facility containing an outstanding paleontology lab dedicated to the John Day Fossil Beds. Picture windows let you view the working laboratory and collections room with over 60,000 specimens. In the fossil museum gallery, you can walk through nearly 50 million years of the Age of Mammals. Hundreds of fossil specimens are displayed, along with eight large murals depicting plants and animals of the time. The Thomas Condon Visitor Center is located in the Sheep Rock Unit on Highway 19, two miles north of the junction with Highway 26. It is approximately nine miles northwest of the town of Dayville, Oregon and 19 miles south of the town of Kimberly, Oregon. Sheep Rock Sheep Rock Sheep Rock, with the John Day River in the foreground Painted Hills Painted Hills The Painted Hills on a stormy winter day. Clarno Clarno The Clarno Palisades are remains of ancient volcanic mudslides. Paleontologist at work Paleontologist at work The Thomas Condon Paleontology Center is both a visitor center and research center. Historic James Cant Ranch Homestead White house surrounded by green with concrete path leading to the front Cant Ranch house 2011 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Recipients of the 2011 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Listening to the Eclipse: National Park Service scientists join Smithsonian, NASA in nationwide project A solar eclipse is visually stunning, but what will it sound like? NPS scientists will find out by recording sounds in parks across the USA. An NPS scientist installs audio recording equipment in a lush valley at Valles Caldera NP. NPS Structural Fire Program Highlights 2014 Intern Accomplishments NPS Geodiversity Atlas—John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports. [Site Under Development] river and mountain Geologic Maps in Action—Support Science <strong>John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon</strong><br> Example of the application of geologic map data to support paleontology research programs. fossil snail shell Cant Ranch Historic District Cultural Landscape The Cant Ranch Historic District is located in the Sheep Rock Unit of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument established in 1974. The Cant Ranch Historic District, as established in the 1984 National Register nomination, is a 200-acre vernacular landscape that documents early 20th century ranching operations in the John Day River Valley. Cant Ranch Complex Wildland Fire in Sagebrush Sagebrush will burn when the surrounding grasses are dry. With strong winds, fire spreads rapidly with flames sometimes reaching over 30 feet high. While fire easily kills sagebrush, the other plants resprout from protected roots producing lush forage for wildlife and livestock. Close-up of sagebrush leaves Arrowhead Adventures The iconic National Park Service arrowhead emblem was created in 1949 by Dr. Aubrey Neasham. He used symbols to show us ideas and themes important to the National Parks. What do you think they the symbols mean? Find out more by completing this activity and then create your own arrowhead for specifically for John Day Fossil Bed! a black and white drawing of the National Park Service arrowhead logo Coloring Pages of John Day Fossil Beds Unearth fossil animals and plants found at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument by printing your own coloring pages! two children with an adult are seated and smile while looking up from coloring Mystery Fossil Game Explore John Day Fossil Beds National Monument’s website to find amazing fossil animals and plants. Discover the fossils of the John Day Region and learn how Oregon has changed, right from where you already are! a cat-like animal with saber tooth wearing a ranger hat examines a fossil using a magnify lens New Paleontologist joins staff at John Day Fossil Beds After an extensive search, Nick Famoso was selected as the new Chief Paleontologist at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. Nick recently completed his PhD at the University of Oregon and is excited to begin his new career with the National Park Service. Nick Famoso posing with a Flat Stanley Junior Ranger Program Become a Junior Ranger! This park is a window into the past with a fossil record spanning nearly 50 million years! Here, the rock layers record the time after dinosaurs went extinct and mammals diversified to dominate the landscape. While visiting the park complete as many activities as you can and turn it in to a Ranger for your badge. The Jr Ranger book cannot be mailed to be worked on outside the park as the visitor center exhibits are necessary to complete the activities. John Day Fossil Beds junior ranger booklet color shows Painted Hills and sketches of fossil animals Website Scavenger Hunt Are you ready to take on the challenge of virtually exploring the park? Explore the park at your home and discover more about the Age of Mammals and Flowering Plants at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. a cat-like saber-toothed animal wearing a ranger hat examines a newspaper article Jennifer Cavin, Fossil Preparator at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument Jennifer Cavin has been the fossil preparator at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon, since 2008. Her work involves exposing collected fossils from the surrounding rock, repairing damage to specimens, and other tasks that are intended to preserve and protect fossils for future study and display. a person in a lab coat working on a fossil Series: Geologic Time Periods in the Cenozoic Era The Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago [MYA] through today) is the "Age of Mammals." North America’s characteristic landscapes began to develop during the Cenozoic. Birds and mammals rose in prominence after the extinction of giant reptiles. Common Cenozoic fossils include cat-like carnivores and early horses, as well as ice age woolly mammoths. fossils on display at a visitor center Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 12, No. 2, Fall 2020 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> fossils on the ground with two people and a mountain in the distance Series: NPS Environmental Achievement Awards Since 2002, the National Park Service (NPS) has awarded Environmental Achievement (EA) Awards to recognize staff and partners in the area of environmental preservation, protection and stewardship. A vehicle charges at an Electric Vehicle charging station at Thomas Edison National Historical Park Series: Park Uses of Geologic Information Geologic maps are critical to understanding a national park. Park staff use geologic maps for many purposes. These are just a few examples. colorful section of a geologic map of bryce canyon Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 09, No. 1, Spring 2017 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology News</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> NPS Paleontology logo illustration with fossil icons Paleogene Period—66.0 to 23.0 MYA Colorful Paleogene rocks are exposed in the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park and the badlands of Badlands and Theodore Roosevelt national parks. Extraordinary Paleogene fossils are found in Fossil Butte and John Day Fossil Beds national monuments, among other parks. fossil skull with teeth expsoed Neogene Period—23.0 to 2.58 MYA Some of the finest Neogene fossils on the planet are found in the rocks of Agate Fossil Beds and Hagerman Fossil Beds national monuments. fossils on display in a visitor center Cenozoic Era The Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago [MYA] through today) is the "Age of Mammals." North America’s characteristic landscapes began to develop during the Cenozoic. Birds and mammals rose in prominence after the extinction of giant reptiles. Common Cenozoic fossils include cat-like carnivores and early horses, as well as ice age woolly mammoths. fossils on display in a visitor center Scientist Profile: Tom Rodhouse, Ecologist and Project Manager Meet Tom Rodhouse, ecologist for the Upper Columbia Basin Network. Tom studies the plants and animals of our National Parks, and believes we have an important role to play in protecting these special places. Read about his adventures as a field wildlife biologist, and how he got to be where he is today. Biologist smiles by sweeping view of green fields, conifer treetops, and snow-capped mountains. Using GIS Data to Improve Fossil Collection Practices at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument John Day Fossil Beds National Monument protects geologic formations that contain one of the longest, most continuous fossil records on Earth. Staff were scheduled to prospect for fossils in each of the park's five most productive areas, every four years. Yet the areas were large, and staff availability varied. They were almost never able to stick to the schedule. So they started to wonder: was a four-year cycle really the best way to find the most fossils? Person kneeling in fossil quarry working with small tools to remove rock matrix from a fossil. A New Resource for Researching America's Elephants Mammoths, mastodons, and other proboscideans are among the most familiar fossil organisms. An inventory complied by Jim Mead and others documents the occurrences of these animals in 63 National Park Service units. photo-illustration of a ranger standing next to a mammoth Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 13, No. 1, Spring 2021 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> park ranger in uniform Series: Pacific Ocean Education Team (POET) Newsletters From 2009 to 2015, the Pacific Ocean Education Team published a series of short newsletters about the health of the ocean at various National Park Service sites in and around the Pacific Ocean. Topics covered included the 2010 tsunami, marine debris, sea star wasting disease, ocean acidification, and more. Ocean waves wash in from the right onto a forested and rocky shoreline. POET Newsletter Summer 2010 Pacific Ocean Education Team (POET) newsletter from Winter 2009. Articles include: Stewardship Without Boundaries: Conserving Our Ocean Ecosystem from Baja to the Bering Sea; A Seamless Network of Parks, Sanctuaries, Refuges & Reserves; Life Entwined with the Sea: The Non-Coastal Park Connection; Take the Plunge into Ocean Stewardship; Nearshore Vertebrates in Four Hawaii Parks; and Ocean Stewardship: A Commitment to Collaboration. Sea stacks rise above ocean waves washing ashore. A wooded ridge rises in the distance. POET Newsletter Winter 2009 Pacific Ocean Education Team (POET) newsletter from Winter 2009. Articles include: Stewardship Without Boundaries: Conserving Our Ocean Ecosystem from Baja to the Bering Sea; A Seamless Network of Parks, Sanctuaries, Refuges & Reserves; Life Entwined with the Sea: The Non-Coastal Park Connection; Engage Visitors in Ocean Park Stewardship; Inventory Map & Protect Ocean Parks; and Ocean Stewardship: A Commitment to Collaboration for Conservation. A color map indicating the depth of the Pacific Ocean floor. Darker blue represents deeper oceans. Elizabeth Cant Elizabeth Cant was part of a prominent ranching family who from 1918 to 1973 lived in the ranch house that currently sits on the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. Drawing on her farming and domestic skills, she journeyed thousands of miles to create a sustainable life for herself and her family. White shingled house with grass lawn Volcanic Processes—Lahars Lahars are volcanic mudflows and are among the most destructive of volcanic phenomena. Lahars present significant geohazards since they can travel great distances down river valleys and impact population centers away from the immediate area of a volcano. wide river valley filled with sediment and snowy peaks in the distance Saving Our Sagebrush Sea A recent study underscores the importance of protecting sagebrush lands in national parks to prevent a national treasure from disappearing. Sagebrush lands in front of the Teton Range in Wyoming Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios. Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background Battle of the Bark Trees shade us from the sun, provide homes for wildlife, stabilize Earth’s surface, and produce food for humans and animals alike. Some are massive, and others are miniscule by comparison, but what makes one better than the other—we’ll let you decide! Check out our iconic trees below and find your favorite! Five thick barked red-brown trees are backlit by the sunlight. Top Tips for Visiting John Day Fossil Beds Top Tips for Visiting John Day Fossil Beds National Monument Tall pointed volcanic formation with shrubs and a river flowing in the foreground. Series: Volcano Types Volcanoes vary in size from small cinder cones that stand only a few hundred feet tall to the most massive mountains on earth. photo of a volcanic mountain with snow and ice Fissure Volcanoes Fissure volcanoes erupt from elongated vents (fissures) rather than a central vent. The lava flows in Craters of the Moon National Monument were erupted from fissures. aerial photo of a line of volcanic cones and lava flows Conserving Sagebrush Steppe Across National Parks and Larger Landscapes Sagebrush steppe is one of the most threatened ecosystems in North America. To aid in conservation, the NPS assembled geodatabases (databases containing geographical and spatial data) for mapping sagebrush steppe in 9 parks in the western U.S. The goal is to facilitate collaborative sagebrush steppe conservation across national park lands and larger steppe landscapes. A Focused Condition Assessment was also produced that focuses on this ecosystem at John Day Fossil Beds NM. Sagebrush steppe Pyroclastic Flows and Ignimbrites, and Pyroclastic Surges Pyroclastic flows and surges are among the most awesome and most destructive of all volcanic phenomena. Pyroclastic flow deposits are found in at least 21 units of the National Park System. photo of a cloud of ash and dust moving down a mountain side. Volcanic Ash, Tephra Fall, and Fallout Deposits Volcanic ash, pumice, and tephra ejected in volcanic eruptions ultimately falls back to Earth where it covers the ground. These deposits may be the thin dustings or may be many tens of feet (meters) thick near an eruptive vent. Volcanic ash and tephra can present geohazards that are present great distances from the erupting volcano. photo of a bluff with exposed fine-grained volcanic ash and pumice. Thirty-five-years of partnership: How the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service Co-manage Paleontological Resources in Eastern and Central Oregon A successful partnership between the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management has helped enhance fossil stewardship in the John Day Basin, Oregon. This partnership spans 35 years and serves as a model of interagency cooperation to support paleontology. Photo of a person sitting at a laboratory microscope From Sea to Shining Sea: "Fossils from Your Public Lands" at the Western Science Center The Western Science Center in Hemet, California serves as a repository for fossils from several land management agencies. It is currently running an exhibit, “Fossils from Your Public Lands”, to showcase examples of these fossils with the cooperation of additional parks and repositories. Photo of a display case and murals inside of a visitor center. Studying the Past and Predicting the Future Using Rat Nests In the western United States, packrat middens are one of the best tools for reconstructing recent environments and climates. These accumulations of plant fragments, small vertebrate remains, rodent droppings, and other fossils can be preserved for more than 50,000 years. Packrat middens have been found in at least 41 National Park Service units. Photo of a wood rat. Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 14, No. 2, Fall 2022 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> Photo of a person sitting while using a laboratory microscope. Series: Geologic Time—Major Divisions and NPS Fossils The National Park System contains a magnificent record of geologic time because rocks from each period of the geologic time scale are preserved in park landscapes. The geologic time scale is divided into four large periods of time—the Cenozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, Paleozoic Era, and The Precambrian. photo of desert landscape with a petrified wood log on the surface Series: Women's History in the Pacific West - Columbia-Pacific Northwest Collection Biographies of women from parks in Washington, Oregon Idaho and far western Montana Map of Washington, Oregon and Idaho Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding ensures long-term success of native plants in Western U.S. national parks Thanks to funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, NPS projects in the West hope to collect native seeds to aide in accelerating repairs to damage due to wildfire, mining, flood, or other causes. A person reaches down into waist high, brown grasses to collect seeds Series: Using Science to Preserve the Past Conserving our nation’s rich cultural heritage – the stories, places, traditions, and artifacts that make up the fabric of our shared history – is an important part of the NPS mission. Throughout the Pacific West Region, park archeologists and paleontologists, museum curators, historic preservationists, and more are using scientific practices to better steward the cultural resources they protect. Explore these articles to learn more about their work. Museum object of cat-like nimravid skull with large incisors NPS Establishes NPSage Initiative to Restore Sagebrush-Steppe Ecosystems Artemisia species, commonly known as sagebrush, are far from being the only species on the landscape. The sagebrush biome is composed of a rich mosaic of thousands of diverse plant species, which are largely driven by differences in climate, soil and elevation. These distinct sagebrush plant and animal communities occur in approximately 70 park units across the western U.S— all of which are experiencing significant threats from wildfire and droughts. Two NPS staff knealing next to plants growing in a nursery Project Profile: Develop Native Plant Capacity for Sagebrush Parks The National Park Service will establish a native seed collection and plant propagation facility on the Oregon State University (OSU)-Cascades Campus, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and private industry. a sagebrush steppe environment adjacent to a yellow aspen grove on a hillside Project Profile: Build Resilient Sagebrush Neighborhoods The National Park Service will implement nature-based solutions to rapid, fire driven, transformations that are occurring in parks across the sagebrush biome, using the Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework and the Sagebrush Conservation Design. The National Park Service will achieve lasting benefits through partnerships and pooling funding sources. Work will occur in eight parks across the Intermountain and Pacific West Regions. a sagebrush bush and a bag full of sagebrush seeds I Didn't Know That!: Biological Soil Crusts You’ve heard people say to stay on the trail, but what does it matter in the desert? It’s just dirt... right? Wrong—it's alive! Discover what biological soil crusts are and why they're so important in dry environments. a promo image for "I Didn't Know That! Biological Soil Crusts" with image of a biological soil crust Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park System To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera.