Wheeler High School Fossil Beds: Fossil Hunting in Wheeler County, Oregon

Quick details

Access

Paid / fee dig

County

Wheeler County

State

Oregon

Nearest road

East B Street

Postcode

97830

Coordinates

45.00196, -120.21421

Geology at Wheeler High School Fossil Beds

This spot sits on John Day/Clarno Group; Clarno Formation, mapped as andesite tuff, alteration: zeolitized, andesite breccia, dacite breccia, andesite flows, dacite flows, and dacite tuff that formed roughly 56 to 23 million years ago. Fossils are uncommon in volcanic rock itself; look to any interbedded sediments and ash beds, where plant material and bone are typically preserved.

Mapped unit

John Day/Clarno Group; Clarno Formation

Age

56–23 Ma (Eocene to Oligocene)

Rock types

andesite tuff, alteration: zeolitized, andesite breccia, dacite breccia, andesite flows, dacite flows, and dacite tuff

Elevation

2,680 ft

Geologic mapping via Macrostrat and the underlying state geological survey maps (CC BY 4.0). Bedrock at the surface can vary within a mapped unit.

Best time to visit Wheeler High School Fossil Beds

Best months: February to November. Typical highs run 84°F in midsummer and 42°F in midwinter, with winter lows near 26°F.

Climate normals: NOAA 1991-2020 monthlies, FOSSIL station (0 mi away).

Land & collecting status

Pay-to-dig site

This is a fee-dig location. Hours, prices, and what you can keep vary by operator. Call ahead before driving out.

Public-land rules vary by agency, season, and field office. The RockHoundR app pulls live BLM, USFS, NPS, and tribal overlays so you can see exactly which agency manages the ground at this spot.

Sources & verification

Spot details combine the public RockHoundR location dataset, normalized mineral labels, agency land-status checks in the app, and community submissions. Coordinates are approximate until verified in the field.

State guidance last verified: April 1, 2026

• BLM Oregon/Washington — Rockhounding & mineral material
• Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI)
• Oregon Parks and Recreation Department — beach collecting rules
• Community submissions reviewed against published agency rules

Found at Wheeler High School Fossil Beds

Each chip opens all spots that produce that material; the encyclopedia link opens the full ID and field guide.

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