20-60 Minutes
Island in Time Trail
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
This 1.3 mi (2.1 km) trail follows the canyon floor and ascends 200 ft (60 m) in elevation through blue-green badlands. Exhibits and fossil replicas along the trail tell the story of the fossil landscape. Dog owners please note: There are over a dozen metal bridges on this trail. All have rough footplates that many dogs refused to cross. You may need to carry your dogs across the bridges. No collecting is allowed and off-trail hiking is strictly prohibited. Please stay on
This 1.3 mi (2.1 km) trail follows the canyon floor and ascends 200 ft (60 m) in elevation through blue-green badlands. Exhibits and fossil replicas along the trail tell the story of the fossil landscape. Dog owners please note: There are over a dozen metal bridges on this trail. All have rough footplates that many dogs refused to cross. You may need to carry your dogs across the bridges. No collecting is allowed and off-trail hiking is strictly prohibited. Please stay on trail.
Tags
Front-Country HikingFossils and PaleontologyGeologySheep Rock unithikingpaleontologygeologyfossils
Visitor Photos
No visitor photos yet
Details
Duration
20-60 Minutes
Fees Apply
No
Seasons
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
Time of Day
Day, Night, Dawn, Dusk
Accessibility
This 1.3 mi. (2.1 km) roundtrip gravel and claystone trail has 13 bridges with metal grates. The trail has an average width of 57 inches with a minimum width of 18 inches. After 600 feet, there is a large rock in the center of the trail. There are benches along the trail with minimum shade. Potential hazards: Muddy after rain and snow, rocks, metal bridges
Pets
Yes — Dog owners please note: There are over a dozen metal bridges on this trail. All have rough footplates that many dogs refuse to cross. You may need to carry your dogs across the bridges.
Reservations
No
Location
Sheep Rock Unit