The Painted Hills, Oregon Oct. 11, 2023

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, located in Oregon, is a geological treasure. It is renowned for its exceptional fossil deposits, specifically the mesmerising Painted Hills, which is one of the three units in the park. Layers of vividly coloured clay-rich soils make for a captivating landscape. These hills contain a record of changing climates and ecosystems that span millions of years. Here, visitors can explore a museum that displays fossils of plants and animals that thrived long ago. One can get a glimpse of fossils of opossums, oreodonts, sabre-toothed tigers, and turtles by visiting the Clarno unit of the monument. These remnants serve as a reminder of the dynamic and fascinating history our planet holds.

© Ben Herndon/Tandem Stills + Motion

palette

Today in History

Magnified moss
Oct. 11, 2024Celtic Colours International Festival
Oct. 11, 2025World Migratory Bird Day

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Mar. 5, 2025Khao Sok National Park in Thailand
Dec. 22, 2025The Nutcracker performed by the Turkish State Opera and Ballet in Türkiye
Blue as far as the eye can see
Hovering over harmonious horticulture
On the open ocean road
See-through cephalopod
Dec. 13, 2023Svolvaer, Lofoten Islands, Norway
Aug. 4, 2025Great grey owls in their nest, Finland
Its puffling season!
Let the Great Backyard Bird Count begin!
Dec. 30, 2024Mount Field National Park, Tasmania, Australia
Add wind, combine with water, and you’ll get...
Eyes on the skies
Jun. 23, 2025Elbe river in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
Jun. 29, 2025International Day of the Tropics
Shell-ebrating sea turtles
Jan. 10, 2024Mylopotamos, Thessaly, Greece
Apr. 13, 2024Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival
May 8, 2024Marseille welcomes to Olympic torch
Jun. 8, 2024Canadian Grand Prix 2024
For Mother’s Day, we salute these marsupial moms
Jan. 7, 2025Moeraki Boulders, South Island, New Zealand
Reflecting its stylish past today
Feb. 13, 2025Lake Tyrrell, Victoria, Australia
Mar. 8, 2025International Womens Day
Jan. 17, 2024Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany
Apr. 4, 2024Red lechwe, Okavango Delta, Botswana
Jan. 27, 2025Zoroaster Temple, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, United States
May 14, 2024Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, USA
The worlds most exclusive beach?