Fort Rock State Park, South Central Oregon

View of Fort Rock State Park in south Central Oregon's high desert. Fort Rock is a circular caldera that was formed by an ancient volcanic eruption in an area that once was an expansive inland freshwater sea. To put its size in perspective, you may be able to see a couple of white dots near the base of the right side of the caldera—one of those dots is the RV where the park host lives, the other is the restroom facility near the parking lot.

Panoramic view inside Fort Rock State Park, South Central Oregon

Fort Rock State Park can be explored on a short loop trail that is a little more than a mile long and goes throughout the entire caldera. This ultra high resolution multi-image panoramic merger shows slightly more than half of the inside of the northeast section of the park, with the park entrance on the right. There are towering rock walls, spectacular formations of magma, and possible petroglyphs to explore. Viewing opportunities include a variety of colorful desert wildflowers and wildlife from soaring prairie falcons to perching eagles.

Fort Rock Church, Fort Rock Homestead Village, Oregon

Another historical building that caught my eye in the Oregon Outback's Fort Rock Homestead Village is the St. Bridget Catholic Church. Originally the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, it was the only real church building in the whole valley during the homestead years. It was being vandalized at its original location about 12 miles NE of the Homestead Village, and was rescued by the Fort Rock Valley Historical Society and moved to its current location.

General Store, Fort Rock Homestead Village, Oregon

One of the interesting aspects of visiting Fort Rock State Park in the Oregon Outback is the opportunity of viewing history. In the Fort Rock Homestead Village, the General Store is one of several original pioneer buildings and historical pieces that have been brought in from surrounding homestead sites by the Fort Rock Valley Historical Society.

Indian Paintbrush, Fort Rock State Park, Oregon

One of my favorite wildflowers on hikes in the high desert is Indian Paintbrush. At the highest section of the trail on a recent visit to Fort Rock State Park, this pretty group of Indian Paintbrush in bloom added a nice splash of color to the hike. (The watermark is for copyright protection and will not be on the printed photograph.)