John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
John Day Fossil Beds - Koizumi
About 40-65 million years ago, saber-tooth tigers and other early mammals roamed the John Day Fossil Beds, which were then tropical plains. The fossil remains of more than 2,200 different animal species and fossil plants make this one of the world's greatest fossil collections. The national monument consists of three very different regions which all offer interpretive centers and hiking trails to view the geological formations. The Painted Hills area of the fossil beds is especially noteworthy for its dramatic colors that shift with the light.