Metolius River Balanced Rocks - Oregon - Nature's Balanced Rocks on Waymarking.com

At this location two ash-flow tuffs of the Deschutes Formation result in the formation of the “Balanced Rocks”. The lower unwelded gray tuff makes the pedestals and is named the Hoodoos tuff. The balanced cap stones are the welded base of the overlying Fly Creek tuff. A thin bed of accretionary lapilli known as the Turkey Ball Tuff occurs between the Fly Creek and Hoodoos tuffs. All the cap stones of Fly Creek tuff are tilted indicating that as the softer Hoodoos tuff erodes it undercuts the harder Fly Creek tuff. When the Fly Creek tuff is deeply under cut slabs break off and slide some distance down the Hoodoos tuff. The harder cap stone then protects the softer Hoodoos tuff and pedestals slowly form below the protective tilted cap stone.
These balanced rocks were first noted by Dr. John Strong Newberry of the Williamson Railroad Survey in 1855. The area has been relatively unknown and unadvertised for many years. In 2002 a large fire swept through the area and the Balanced Rocks are now visible from Forest Service Rd. 64. An accessible gravel trail now begins from a small parking area along the Forest Service Road and goes to two viewpoints overlooking the Balanced Rocks. Round trip distance is about a half mile.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   08/01/2008 Volcanoguy visited it

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