Fossil Beds
date: 05 Sep 2009 -- updated: 13 Sep 2009
We left on Saturday morning to head up to Pendleton for the Labor Day Weekend. Instead of heading straight up the Columbia Gorge, we turned south at Biggs Junction and took a short detour to see the Clarno Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds.
We stopped just south of Shaniko to eat some lunch and stretch our legs. On a clear day one can see most of the big volcanoes of the Cascade range from this point, but clouds prevented that today.
Upon arrival, we started up the short circular route that takes one through the fossil beds. The story here is that mud flows--sparked by an ancient (and completely vanished) volcano--buried jungle vegetation on numerous occasions approximately 40-44 million years ago. Periodic rockfall off the palisades exposes the fossils of tree boles, branches and leaves contained in the various layers.
The signs explain what to look for.
Our first find!
