The Clarno Unit is the smallest one out of three parts of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. But it has an incredible paleontological prominence as it contains numerous well-preserved layers of diverse fossil plants and animals, the age of which is about 44 million years.

Arch Trail 29

Exploring the Clarno Unit: Arch Trail

Location: Clarno Unit, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon Round Trip: 0,5 miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation Gain: 200 feet GPS Coordinates: N 44 54.794 W 120 24.562 Visitor’s Information Open: all year round No Pass Required   Eastern part of Oregon will amaze you with a significant natural attraction - John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. This fantastic national monument introduces the visitors to the 40 million years evolution history of plants and animals, showing also the change of climate and various ecosystems which existed throughout all these millions of years. John Day [...]

Geologic Time Trail 26

50 Million Years’ History of the Geologic Time Trail

Location: Clarno Unit, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon Round Trip: 0,5 miles Difficulty: Easy Elevation Gain: None GPS Coordinates: N 44 54.794 W 120 24.562 Visitor’s Information Open: all year round No Pass Required   The Geologic Time Trail is one of three Clarno Unit’s trails, allowing the visitors fully enjoy the striking Palisades and investigate the spectacular, unique fossils, telling us the story of the distant past, when Clarno Unit was not an arid, desert area, but a tropical forest full of various flora and fauna representatives. This trail provides [...]