Blue Basin
Dayville, OR
A bowl of blue-green claystone in the Sheep Rock Unit. The Island in Time trail follows a creek into the basin past fossil replicas; take water, as summer afternoons are very hot.
Blue Basin is a bowl of blue-green badlands in the Sheep Rock Unit of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in central Oregon, on Highway 19. Two trails start from the same parking lot east of the highway. The Island in Time Trail is 1.3 kilometers (0.8 mile) each way, with about 60 meters (200 feet) of climb, and is easy. It leads into the basin and crosses a small creek several times, which is only a thin trickle most of the year.
Three fossil replicas are set into the rock along the way: a turtle, an oreodont (a pig-like animal) and a saber-toothed cat skull. If you want more, take the Blue Basin Trail, a loop of about 5 kilometers (3 miles, 180 meters or 600 feet of climb) that rises high above the basin and circles the badlands. Bring water.
The monument has been open again since August 6, 2026, after the July 2026 wildfires (as of August 2026); check the National Park Service beforehand for current trail closures.
- Nearest town
- Dayville, OR
- Category
- Nature & parks
- GPS
- 44.5955, -119.6311
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and July–August. Cold, short days in January–February. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Sources
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
Campsites nearby
- Fish House Inn and RV ParkMotorhome stopover10 mi from Blue Basin · 7 pitchesMotorhomes
- Lone Pine CampgroundCampsite13 mi from Blue Basin
- Big Bend Recreation SiteCampsite13 mi from Blue Basin
- Muleshoe Recreation SiteCampsite22 mi from Blue Basin
- Service CreekCampsite23 mi from Blue BasinTents
- Billy Fields CampgroundCampsite24 mi from Blue Basin · 2 pitchesFree
All campsites in Oregon · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Blue Basin?
Blue Basin is in Dayville, OR, at GPS 44.5955, -119.6311. It is about 11 mi from Kimberly.
Can you camp near Blue Basin?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Fish House Inn and RV Park, about 10 mi away; within 25 mi there are 11 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Blue Basin?
Blue Basin is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Smith Rock, the Painted Hills and John Day Fossil Beds.
What is there to see near Blue Basin?
Places worth a stop nearby: Thomas Condon Paleontology Center (3 mi), Painted Hills (32 mi), Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site (35 mi) and Smith Rock State Park (76 mi).
When is the best time to visit Blue Basin?
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and July–August. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)