The fossils may date back some 40 million years, but the national monument that now protects them has just turned 50.
The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument officially celebrated its 50th anniversary Wednesday, and while there was no big fanfare planned (there were anniversary events held earlier in the year, and the ongoing government shutdown has halted some park operations) it was still a significant milestone for the high desert destination.
The land was officially designated as a national monument on Oct. 8, 1975, following an authorization by Congress that was signed by President Gerald Ford the previous year. Before that, the area had been protected by the state of Oregon, which purchased the land on the recommendation of a group of paleontologists who had been digging up ancient fossils there since the 1860s.
The area was originally in the territory of the Tenino and the Northern Paiute people, who are now a part of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and the Burns Paiute Tribe, respectively.
The national monument is managed by the National Park Service, which oversees three separate units comprising 14,000 acres in all, spread out over roughly 50 miles of central Oregon desert. It features several colorful natural attractions, including the famous Painted Hills, Painted Cove and Blue Basin. The Thomas Condon Paleontology Center gives visitors a deep dive into the natural history of the area (and offers much-needed air conditioning in the summer).
While the John Day Fossil Beds are far from the most popular natural attraction in the Pacific Northwest (more than 100 Oregon state parks saw bigger crowds in 2024), it has remained a beloved landmark, appearing in Travel Oregon’s 7 Wonders of Oregon campaign.
It’s all but impossible for the national monument to outlast any of the fossils and minerals that sit in the ground, but should the land remain protected, more generations of Oregonians are sure to discover the beautiful and fascinating landscape that surrounds them.