Clarno Fossil Beds, Central Oregon

This was taken from along the Volcanic Scenic Byway at the Clarno Fossil Beds Unit which also houses the Hancock Mammal Quarry and the Clarno Nut Beds. This particular area is named the Pallisades for the towering rock and mud figures that tower overhead that were formed millions of years ago during a lahar that was caused by the volcanic unstabilty of the earth and the huge rainfalls that began to lessen as the once jungle terrain began to turn drier and into more of what we see today. The Pallisades offers many interesting trails that cross the area and there are informative signs telling of the age of each section of earth that you walk on. The trail that leads onto the section of the Pallisades takes you before a large hollow in the rock/mud mix that offers great photography of the sky through the hollow.