The first time I went searching for fossils, I was about three. I can still remember it, although I can’t tell you what we found that day—neither can my mom, but she remembers that trip and all the subsequent fossil hunts. When I was that young, my parents used to handle the actual tools, but by the time I was eight or so, I was doing my own rock demolition. That first time, we went when my dad had a summer gig as an art teacher at a camp near the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, which had just been established. Fossil hunting in the federally protected site is illegal, so where, you might be wondering, did we dig fossils legally? And can you still do it today?
The answer to the second question is yes, you can legally collect specimens today, and the answer to the first question is you can go hunting for fossils in—wait for it—the town of Fossil, Oregon.
Over my lifetime, I’ve found dozens of fossilized leaves behind the Wheeler County High School in Fossil. It’s no big secret (although they don’t advertise it either), and they welcome collectors who follow the rules and respect the local property.
The town is about three hours from Portland via a scenic drive through the Columbia Gorge and then highways 97, 206, and 19. From I-84, it’s about an hour and a quarter southeast of Biggs Junction, exit number 104. For people with younger kids, there are many exciting stops along the way, and many of those stops come with bathrooms.
For now, let’s talk about fossilling in Fossil.
Everyone will have a better experience if they know that finding a perfect fossil is not the norm. However, it’s not uncommon, either—my experience is that I find one perfect fossil on every other trip. I’ve only found fossils of ancient fauna, but there are rumors of the occasional fish or salamander popping up in this 33 million-year-old lake bed.
To get to the dig site from downtown Fossil (it’s not a large town, directions almost aren’t necessary), find Main Street and follow it north to Broadway/A street. There’s a sign on the left of the intersection here that will tell you a bit about the types of fossils you can expect to find, but if you just want to get on with the action, drive straight past it for another block up the hill to the high school. Turn right at the sign directing you toward fossil hunters’ parking, left around the back of the school, and park alongside the sports field, to the left of the path’s “Entrance” sign. You’ll see a short, steep hillside across the field with lots of pale sedimentary rocks spilling down it. This is your goal, but don’t cut across the field. Instead, follow the short path (until it dwindles out). The high school is bordered by private property, so if you wander off the path, the neighbors may not appreciate it much.
Before you start, there are a few hazards to be aware of, the most obvious and likely hazard being falling down the slope (or sledding down it among an avalanche of rocks). The site is pretty steep in places—those places being where the best rocks are because, of course. The second hazard to keep in mind is the sun. I find it deceptively strong in Eastern Oregon because there’s nearly always a cool wind blowing. The third hazard is more of an obligatory mention, but it’s the most dangerous: rattlesnakes. They do exist in this part of the world, and they like rocks. That said, I’ve been a frequent traveler to the area for 50 years and have never seen one. Not even when I was in high school, and the local guys would take me out “rattlesnake hunting.” For more information and tips to avoid snakes, follow this link. [https://hikeitbaby.com/blog/dos-and-donts-of-hiking-in-rattlesnake-territory/]
The least you need to know is that they’re unlikely to hang out around areas frequented by humans, especially humans constantly whacking open rocks.
Finding fossils doesn’t take a lot of tools (or any, actually, as I’ve found during unplanned forays when I happen to be passing by the town), but a hammer of some type is very helpful. If you had a grandparent like mine, you probably inherited a few rock hammers, which are now chilling in your garage. If you can find one at a thrift store, it’s probably worth picking up. Any hammer will do, though. I also recommend a bag for the more fragile finds.
Ideally, you’ll also bring sunscreen, good shoes with grippy soles and ankle support, a water bottle, and possibly a sun hat and some work gloves. If you’re really good at planning ahead (i.e., unlike me), you’ll bring along hand wipes for cleaning the dust off your skin afterward.
And bandaids. You’ll very likely need bandaids.
For information on the formation of the fossil bed here and what fossils you’ll be likely to find, check out this link [https://www.oregonpaleolandscenter.com/wheeler-high-school-fossil-beds].
Okay, preliminary information is done; it’s time to start heading up the path. On the left of the path’s entrance, there’s a small shed that sometimes has digging tools or hammers available for borrowing, but don’t count on it. Mostly you find old swallow’s nests. On the right, there’s a steel box labeled “pay station.” Donate if you can afford to since it helps keep the site open. Follow the path to where the picnic table shelter sits—this area is for breaking open rocks in the shade and/or while sitting on an actual seat.
Once past this table, start looking for likely rocks. Fossils are most likely to be in the pale, sand-colored flat rocks that have visible sedimentation lines along the side. On rare occasions, I’ve found good fossils just lying on the ground. Often, you’ll find places where people have dug down to “fresh” rock layers, and you can search these, but you can also just pick up any likely-looking rock on the surface. It’s like hunting for Easter eggs.
If you can’t wait to break it open, the best approach is to find one of the larger basalt or lava rocks scattered around and use it as an anvil. Position your (hopefully) fossil-containing rock on its shallow side so the large surface area is perpendicular to the ground, and start tapping on it with your hammer (or a smaller basalt rock if you forgot the hammer). Try to tap gently at first, but these are rocks, so “gentle” is relative. Gradually add more muscle until the rock starts to fracture into flakes (like shale) and fall away. If you get a good crack, you can wedge the chisel end of your hammer into it and pry the rock apart.
I’ve found that rocks tend to flake open where the fossils lie, but they also flake open and reveal zilch. Keep trying; sometimes, it takes a while. Inspect your exposed surfaces because some fossils are subtle. Mainly, once you break open a rock, you find a partial fossil of a leaf or a mass of … some kind of vegetation. They’re still beautiful, though, and for people who love connecting with the past, it’s very rewarding. I guarantee you’ll find at least a few conifer leaves and some deciduous ones if you spend an hour (or less) looking. Again, as with Easter eggs, you never know what you’ll find inside.
If it’s really hot, take your prize rocks back to the shelter and work there, but I find working on the table surface itself pretty difficult. You’ll need an anvil stone here, too.
Plus, I usually can’t wait that long to see what’s inside.
One important note—make certain you’re putting the finds you want to keep into one specific pile. I can’t tell you how many times I started breaking open a rock that was actually one of my already-found specimens.
It’s pretty easy to spend an hour or two out here without realizing it, but eventually, something like hunger or the need for a bathroom pops up. There aren’t any restrooms or food vendors at the site, but if you head about three blocks back down Main Street, you’ll find a bathroom—and a ton of cool merchandise—at the Fossil Mercantile. For snacks or more, I recommend Brenda’s Blessings, right next door. I can vouch for their cookies and coffee drinks, and the pizza looks pretty good.
If you’re coming from Portland, you may want to make a weekend out of a trip to Fossil. My favorite place to stay in the area is the Hotel Condon, 20 miles north of Fossil on Highway 19—you’ll pass right through the town of Condon (and pass the hotel) on your way to Fossil if you come from I-84. In Fossil itself, there’s a small motel and RV site and a B&B just north of town. I’ve never stayed at either, so I can’t offer an opinion.
If you want to learn more about what you’re finding and why, visit the Oregon Paleo Lands Institute [https://www.oregonpaleolandscenter.com] across the street from the Wheeler County Courthouse in town. You can’t miss the courthouse; it’s got a bright blue tower on the side. I can also highly recommend the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument [https://www.nps.gov/joda/index.htm], although much of the park is an hour or more beyond Fossil.
Or, just take your fossils home at this point and find prominent places to display them. Then when people ask, you can casually say, “Oh, those? We dug the specimens ourselves.”
