DAYVILLE – Effective Nov. 1, the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument will switch to winter hours of operation for both the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center and the James Cant Ranch Museum.

Open hours for both facilities will be 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The paleontology center will be open seven days a week while the ranch museum will be open Monday through Thursday, and on weekends by appointment.

The center and museum will be closed on federal holidays, from Thanksgiving Day through February. Hours will change again in March 2009.

Both facilities are located in the Sheep Rock Unit of the monument near Dayville. The Thomas Condon Paleontology Center serves as the visitor center and also features an extensive fossil museum on the Age of Mammals. The James Cant Ranch Museum offers exhibits on local human history.

All outdoor areas of the monument are open during daylight hours and there is no fee for entry to any monument facilities.