Fossil Oregon Map

About Fossil, Oregon

Fossil is a locality in Wheeler County, Oregon, United States. It is a small community with a population of 535. The population density is 221.0 people per km². Fossil is located at 44.9982°N, 120.2161°W. It observes the Pacific Time (America/Los_Angeles) timezone. ZIP code: 97830.

Fossil slumbers in a high desert basin, a place where the sky feels immense and the land stretches out in ochre and sage hues. It lies 68.8 miles north-east of Redmond, OR (from Redmond, OR: bearing 43°T), and is situated 16.4 miles south of Condon. The terrain rises and falls in a series of rolling hills and shallow canyons, carved by eons of wind and water, the exposed rock strata hinting at the earth's deep memory. Sparse stands of juniper and pine cling to the slopes, their silhouettes sharp against the often-brilliant blue of the sky, while the ground cover is a hardy mix of grasses and wildflowers that bloom with surprising tenacity in the spring. The air here carries a dry, clean scent, tinged with the resin of the pines and the subtle perfume of sun-baked earth, and at dusk, the light softens, painting the landscape in shades of rose and violet, a quiet benediction over the rugged beauty. The very name Fossil speaks to the rich paleontological heritage of this region, a legacy that has shaped its identity and drawn a particular kind of visitor. For generations, this landscape has been a repository of ancient life, its hillsides yielding the fossilized remains of creatures that roamed here millions of years ago, a silent testament to a vanished world. The local economy, though modest, is tethered to this unique natural endowment, with tourism centered around the discovery and preservation of these ancient treasures. The Wheeler County Historical Society and Museum stands as a focal point, safeguarding the stories and artifacts that connect the present to the distant past, offering a glimpse into both the geological and human history that has unfolded across this dry, windswept land.

About This Fossil Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Fossil, Oregon — switch between views using the small square in the bottom left-hand corner of the map. Coordinates: 44.998186, -120.216137. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service, with current observations and a 7-day forecast also powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while a Wikipedia summary or an editorially written description provides background on Fossil and Wheeler County.

Detailed location data for Fossil includes the ZIP code (97830), telephone area code (541), county seat of Wheeler County (Fossil), and school district assignment (Fossil School District 21J). These are among the most commonly searched location details for any US city or town.

Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct Fossil is identified even where the name is shared across multiple counties or states. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.