College Outdoors

Fall Break: Geology & Fossils Tour of Central Oregon

Painted Hills unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

Upcoming:

Wednesday, October 7 until Sunday, October 11

Spend your Fall Break exploring ancient fossils and remarkable geology in Central Oregon’s famous John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. This trip heads east, into the “rain shadow” of the Cascade Mountains to explore the beautiful high-desert landscape of complex rock formations, tumbleweeds, sagebrush, juniper trees, and sunshine. You’ll get to see the colorful stripes of the Painted Hills, learn about Oregon’s fascinating geologic past, and even hunt for fossils that you get to keep. We’ll spend our days hiking, and stay at cozy cabins along the John Day river.

Fall Break trips can count as an activity credit for graduation! You can get credit in PE/A 101 “Outdoor Adventures” for participation in this trip as long as you register through WebAdvisor prior to the end of the add/drop period. To be granted registration permissions, email yuska@lclark.edu.

How to Register

Registration Opens: Friday, Sep, 11
Trip Fee: $195 / $97*

*If you qualify for any federal financial aid, the trip fee is cut in half thanks to scholarship funding from ASLC. We accept cash, checks, credit/debit cards, and apple/samsung/google pay.

To register for a trip, stop by the College Outdoors office in Templeton 244 or call us at 503-768-7116 once registration is open. Some trips fill up fast! The registration process can be a bit confusing your first time, you can learn more by reading How to Sign Up for a College Outdoors Trip.

Trip Type

Overnight in rustic yurts or cabins

Physical Demands

No experience necessary!

Participants should be prepared to spend several hours outdoors walking on uneven terrain. Hiking distance and speed will vary based on the group and weather conditions.

This trip lends itself well to a wide variety of accessibility accommodations, including mobility accommodations. Contact outdoors@lclark.edu.

What to Expect

☑ Sleeping indoors
☐ Sleeping outdoors
☑ Electricity
☐ Wifi
☑ Cell phone service
☑ Heating
☑ Beds
☑ Bathrooms
☐ Gender-inclusive bathrooms
☑ Showers
☐ Wheelchair accessible
☑ Food for any Dietary Restrictions

Pre-Trip Meeting

College Outdoors trips have a Pre-Trip Meeting (PTM) prior to the trip to help you prepare, which takes place at the Sequoia warehouse on the Graduate Campus.

At this meeting you’ll meet the trip leaders and other participants, learn more about the trip activity, location, and schedule, and be given a packing list of everything you need for your trip. The trip leaders and Sequoia staff will then help you find and borrow anything on the packing list that you’d like to borrow. We have high-quality outdoor clothing and equipment, and it’s all free to use for your trip!

If you miss a Pre-Trip Meeting, check your email for important info you missed.

Sequoia Warehouse

Sequoia is the College Outdoors warehouse, located on the Graduate Campus. Everything you’ll need is available for free when you come on a College Outdoors Trip. At Sequoia you will find:

Clothing needed for your trip, including any relevant outerwear and specialty items needed for the activity. Sizes range from XS - XXL and come in gendered an non-gendered designs.
Gear needed for your trip, such as sleeping bags, backpacks, water bottles, and much much more.
Equipment such as tents, cookware, first-aid kits, and boats, which trip leaders will pack for each trip as needed.
Gender-neutral bathrooms, which can also be used as changing rooms.
Staff available to answer your questions.