Thomas Condon Visitor Center
Facility · Oregon ·
Managed by the National Park Service
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument (National Monument) · Open Access
- 2,287 ft
- Elevation
Located in the Sheep Rock Unit, the Thomas Condon Visitor Center is a National Park Service research facility containing an outstanding paleontology lab dedicated to the John Day Fossil Beds. Picture windows let you view the working laboratory and collections room with over 60,000 specimens.
In the fossil museum gallery, you can walk through nearly 50-million years of the Age of Mammals. Hundreds of fossil specimens are displayed, along with eight large murals depicting plants and animals of the time.
Getting there
The Thomas Condon Visitor Center is located in the Sheep Rock Unit on Highway 19, two miles north of the junction with Highway 26. It is approximately nine miles northwest of the town of Dayville, Oregon and 19 miles south of the town of Kimberly, Oregon.
44.55281, -119.64634 · 44°33'10.1"N 119°38'46.8"W
Typical weather
Typically 91°F in Jul, down to 43°F in Dec.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 45 | 50 | 56 | 62 | 71 | 80 | 91 | 90 | 81 | 66 | 51 | 43 |
| Low °F | 29 | 29 | 34 | 37 | 44 | 50 | 55 | 54 | 48 | 40 | 32 | 28 |
| Precip in | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 0.2 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.
Map
More photos
Member photos
Common questions about Thomas Condon Visitor Center
- Can you reserve a site at Thomas Condon Visitor Center?
- No. Thomas Condon Visitor Center is not reservable through Recreation.gov, so sites are first-come, first-served or booked elsewhere.
Camping near Thomas Condon Visitor Center
- Tamarack Cabin 22.2 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Historic Cant Ranch Museum 0.2 mi · Visitor Center
- Black Canyon Wilderness 14.1 mi · Facility
- Cottonwood Campground 15.3 mi · Campground
- Lone Pine Campground 15.6 mi · Facility
- Barnhouse Campground 15.7 mi · Campground
- Big Bend Campground (John Day River) 15.8 mi · Facility
- Cottonwood Pit Campground 16.9 mi · Campground
- Ochoco NF-Ochoco East - Paulina Area 17 mi · Facility
- Shady Grove Picnic Area 18.3 mi · Facility
- Billy Fields Campground 22 mi · Campground
- Wolf Creek Industrial Campground 22.7 mi · Campground
Contact
- Phone (541) 987-2333
- Email joda_interpretation@nps.gov
- Info Recreation.gov
Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-02-25.
Facility information and photographs from Recreation.gov (RIDB). SpotOpened is not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.
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