Land Before Time

Imagine 10,000 square miles of open green space with early cousins of elephants, camels, rhinoceroses—even sabertooth tigers—roaming freely. Now picture yourself in Oregon. Yup, Eastern Oregon was once home to all these species and thousands more, which is why scientists set up shop here 30 years ago to study its 50 million years of plant and animal evolution.

Today, after discovering some 2,200 new species, scientists are still hard at work and proud to unveil the completely remodeled Thomas Condon Paleontology Center Museum at John Day Fossil Beds.

Located in the Sheep Rock Unit, near the town of Dayville, the new interpretive and research center totals 11,000 square feet, with much of the space dedicated to a research facility where three on-staff paleontologists study specimens from a 40,000-fossil collection. The center’s new surrounding glass walls provide guests with the rare opportunity to watch the scientists as they work.

In addition to permanent exhibits of nearly intact bones and formations, the museum features three-dimensional tree, plant and rock displays as well as towering murals depicting how the area’s terrain advanced over 50 million years, from tropical forests to floodplains and grasslands.

Would-be scientists will enjoy investigating specimens at touch tables and through microscopes, and there’s even a Junior Ranger program where kids can earn a badge by correctly answering basic fossil-related questions (was the “Best of Frank’s Creek” a fossil or pseudofossil?).

And before you get in the car to head home, get the wiggles out with a short hike on one of the scenic trails—this area wasn’t designated a national monument for nothing.

The Museum is open daily, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Free admission. Call 541.987.2333 or visit www.nps.gov/joda.