Hancock Field Station

Uniquely located within the Clarno Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Hancock Field Station has access to one of the world’s most significant fossil sites, nearby canyons, archaeology sites, and the John Day River.

It's an ideal place to study geology and paleontology. The nearby volcanic and sedimentary rocks reveal the story of life from the time the dinosaurs disappeared 66 million years ago to the beginning of the Pleistocene ice age 2 million years ago. The fossil record unlocks the evolutionary paths of plants and animals, as well as the geologic history of Oregon.

The camp also offers an ideal setting in which to study many other fields of natural science. The juniper-sage grassland steppe provides a model location to study arid ecology. Groups driving over the Cascade Mountains can see first-hand the impact the rain shadow effect has on the landscape. At HFS, we enlarge on those observations and take an in-depth look at the ways the environment is different and how plants and animals have adapted to it. Clear night skies offer a great opportunity to study astronomy without the interference of city lights. The area is also rich in cultural history; Native American pictographs and homesteads built by European settlers can be investigated on nearby hikes.

With his wife Berrie, Lon Hancock spent many summers leading young students on fossil expeditions in the Clarno area. In 1951, the Hancock's brought 14 boys and a volunteer staff for the first 12-day summer camp under OMSI sponsorship. Since that initial program, the camp has grown from a tent camp into a modern, well-equipped science education center available to students in the Northwest, across the nation, and internationally.

Housing

Staff are assigned a small, one room A-frame cabin for the season. The cabins are equipped with:

• Electricity and heat

• Twin sized bed

• Small desk and chair

• Storage closets

Staff should bring their own bedding, furniture, comfort items, fans, and decorations. Sporting equipment is welcome, and anything brought in must be taken with upon move-out at the end of the season.

In addition to the private cabins, there is a house that all staff share. There are two bathrooms, a kitchen, laundry, a living room, office, and two rooms converted into mini-living rooms. The staff house is a short walk from the cabins. The kitchen and the house are fully furnished, and staff are welcome to bring their own favorite dishes, cookware, games, movies, or other comfort items. Each person gets some storage space for food in the house, and everything else is stored in the cabins.

We have limited internet in camp, and no cell phone service.

Did you know?

If you've seen Wild, Wild, Country on Netflix, you may recognize these historic Rajneesh cabins! After the demise of the curious and unfortunate Rajneeshpuram, they went to auction, OMSI bought some, and Hancock has 17 of them for staff and guest use.

Weather

The weather in the Clarno Valley can vary considerably depending on the season. Sometimes it snows, sometimes it rains, but most of the time, it's dry and warm. In the Spring and Fall we enjoy mornings and evenings in the 40s and 50s with afternoon temps in the 80s. During the summer we enjoy an average high temperature of around 90ºF, sometimes reaching over 100ºF in the heat of the day.

Check out our weather station!