John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is a National Monument in Oregon. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 2 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in John Day Fossil Beds
We matched 2 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to John Day Fossil Beds. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Natural Arches (1)
Ghost Towns (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At John Day Fossil Beds the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:34 AM | 8:20 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:45 PM | 241° | 9h 12m |
| February | 7:01 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:28 PM | 253° | 10h 28m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:06 PM | 268° | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:16 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:44 PM | 285° | 13h 28m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:21 PM | 298° | 14h 49m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:59 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:47 PM | 305° | 15h 33m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:43 PM | 302° | 15h 14m |
| August | 6:03 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:07 PM | 291° | 14h 04m |
| September | 6:39 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:12 PM | 275° | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:15 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:16 PM | 259° | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:57 AM | 7:41 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:33 PM | 245° | 9h 36m |
| December | 7:30 AM | 8:19 AM | 3:32 PM | 4:21 PM | 237° | 8h 50m |
Computed for the park's reference point (44.6257, -119.8811); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From John Day Fossil Beds, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 5:04 AM – 5:24 AM | 0.3 | 12° |
| April | 3:02 AM – 4:22 AM | 1.3 | 16° |
| May | 1:00 AM – 3:20 AM | 2.3 | 16° |
| June | 11:19 PM – 2:39 AM | 3.3 | 16° |
| July | 11:03 PM – 1:23 AM | 2.3 | 16° |
| August | 10:02 PM – 11:22 PM | 1.3 | 15° |
| September | 8:53 PM – 9:23 PM | 0.5 | 12° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
1 Estimated Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious.
Weather & best time to visit
Weather conditions at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument are highly variable in this semi-arid desert landscape. Summer highs can climb into the 110's. Winters tend to be fairly mild, with occassional snow and ice and lows occasionally dipping into the single digits.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 24% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (75%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
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.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Bookstore and Park Store
