Day Hikes and Adventure Trips
We invite you to experience the stunning landscapes of the John Day Basin with OPLI this season. We offer Day Hikes, multiple day Adventure Trips, and can arrange a Custom Trip as well. Whether you’re painting, photographing, exploring canyons and mountain tops, or cycling through time…OPLI adventures will connect you with 50 million years of natural and cultural history in the John Day Basin. Take Time for an OPLI Adventure!
Pre-registration is required for ALL Day Hikes and Adventure Trips, as space is limited. Unless indicated, participants are responsible for arranging their own lodging and meals. For more information and Registration phone (541) 763-4480 or e-mail us.
Click here for a downloadable .PDF of the schedule below.
Day Hike Adventures in the John Day Fossil Beds Units:
One Saturday each month, May through October
All hikes begin at 10 a.m. and end by 3 p.m.
Trip Fee: Suggested donation $20 Adults; $5 Children
May 8 - Spring Day Hiking Trip in the Painted Hills Unit
June 5 - Summer Day Hiking Trip in the Sheep Rock Unit
July 17 - Summer Day Hiking Trip in the Clarno Unit
August 21 - Summer Day Hiking Trip in the Painted Hills Unit
September 18 - Fall Day Hiking Trip in the Sheep Rock Unit
October 2 - Fall Day Hiking Trip in the Clarno Unit
Searching for an outdoor adventure this Spring, Summer, and Fall? Looking for something that is great fun for individuals or families with kids of all ages? Come join OPLI and explore the John Day Fossil Beds. On Saturday, once a month, we will hike and explore the geology, paleontology, plants, and wildlife in one unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. Hikes are easy to moderate, one to three miles depending on participants. Bring a sack lunch, WATER, closed-toed shoes, and appropriate clothing for the weather. Optional to bring: binoculars and camera.
Adventure Programs and Trips
Water Color Painting and Nature Journal Writing in the Palisades
Saturday & Sunday September 11-12
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days
Trip Fee: $75 one day, $125 two days.
Includes basic watercolor & journaling supplies. Try your hand at watercolors, sketching, or expressing your observations in words, while exploring the landscapes in the John Day Fossil Beds- Clarno Unit. Join us for some short, easy hikes to unique and colorful places, and we’ll help you create your own works of art. Watercolor instruction by Watercolor Society of Oregon prize winning artist Hyon Fielding.
Wildflowers & Photography in the Painted Hills
Saturday May 22
Trip Fee: $75
Join geologist/photographer Ellen Morris Bishop and a botanist for a day in the beautiful Painted Hills of the John Day Fossil Bed National Monument. Learn geology, photography, and all about the beautiful and hardy plant life in this colorful and rugged landscape.
Fossils and Invasives
Saturday & Sunday, July 10 -11
Trip Fee: $50.00 Includes lunch, dinner, and music on Saturday.
Explore regional geology, find fossils, and help map and control invasive plants during this fun and service oriented weekend near Fossil. We’ll work hard and have fun during the day and celebrate with a real ranch BBQ and live music under the stars!
The Active Cascades: Mt Hood
Saturday & Sunday, August 14 - 15
Trip Fee: $150 Includes Saturday lodging & dinner & Sunday meals; $80 for trip only.
Hike the glacial and volcanic geology of Mt. Hood, including a trip to the active vents at Crater Rock with geologist Ellen Bishop and volcanologist Dave Zimbalman, Columbia Gorge Community College GeoSciences faculty members. Spend two days exploring Mt. Hood at high elevations and learning about volcanology. This trip requires a high level of fitness due to high elevation hiking.
Geologic Cycle – in the John Day Basin
Saturday & Sunday, October 16-17
Trip Fee: $160 For intermediate and advanced cyclists – road bikes only please.
Join us for a two day, fully-supported, cycling road tour though the extraordinary landscapes of the John Day Basin. You and your bike will join OPLI staff and Dave Zimbalman, for a weekend of cycling through challenging hills and easy flats, as we explore 50 million years of geologic and natural history. Enjoy the friendly and historic town of Spray, where we’ll make our basecamp and share a communal meal on Saturday night. Dave Zimbalman, Columbia Gorge Community College GeoSciences faculty, and nationally-ranked cyclist, is the owner of Salmon Cyclery in The Dalles.
