Rising up out of surrounding sagebrush desert, Fort Rock is a towering jagged rock formation, technically a tuff ring, set in an ancient seabed. It is also perhaps the most famous anthropological site in Oregon, as a pair of 9,000–year old sagebrush bark sandals were discovered here. Trails lead up into the bowl of this crater-like formation, and you can scramble to the top for views of the surrounding desert. Fort Rock has been designated a National Natural Landmark, and an Oregon State Parks interpretive display at the base of the rock does a good job of relating the natural and human history of the area.
The town of Fort Rock has a museum with several pioneer-days buildings that have good potential for ghost town-like photographs. Hours and access are limited so you can’t get the best angles during the golden hours, but it is possible to make some nice images from the parking area at those times.
This is an excerpt from Photographing Oregon, my award-winning guidebook to the best natural and cultural sites in Oregon. Now available as a downloadable ebook at https://photos.gregvaughn.com/p/books
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