Eastern Oregon - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 716

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
FOSSIL
Close to the Clarno Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is this
small, nondescript town. Not only does Fossil have an interesting name, it's located
at the 45th parallel, which is generally regarded as being halfway between the
equator and North Pole.
If you have a few hours to spare, hunt for fossils behind Wheeler High School ($5
per person, open May to October). It's self-serve, with buckets and tools provided;
there's a caretaker on weekends. The Fossil Museum ( 1-4pm Mon & Wed-Sun; free) is
another attraction, with interesting local relics. Finally there's the Oregon Paleo
Lands Institute , a small educational facility which offers local information and a
small geography display room (limited open days).
Need a bed for the night? Check into the Fossil Motel & RV Park ( 541-763-4075;
105 1st St; d $60-89, RV sites $30) , which has a handful of homey and outdated but good-
sized rooms.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Ontario
POP 11,300
Oregon's most easterly city, Ontario and its environs are often considered to be an exten-
sion of Idaho's fertile Snake River valley. The Malheur, Payette and Owyhee Rivers join
the Snake's wide valley here, with irrigated farms producing a variety of crops - the re-
gion's economic backbone. The city itself is a bit homely and not worth more than a brief
stop on your way somewhere more exciting.
Note that Ontario shares the same time zone, Mountain Standard Time, with Idaho -
it's one hour ahead of Pacific Standard Time.
Sights
Four Rivers Cultural Center MUSEUM
( 541-889-8191; www.4rcc.com ; 676 SW 5th Ave; adult/child 6-14yr $4/3; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri,
10am-5pm Sat) A far cry from your typical small-town museum, this center celebrates the
region's diversity, focusing on Paiute Native Americans, Basque sheep-herders, and