2.5 hr
Overview
Layers of alternating sandstone, clay, welded tuff, chert, and limestone, sprinkled with Miocene mammal fossils, form the exposed bluffs at Chalk Basin, once the bottom of an ancient lake. However, it is a nearby, unnamed canyon that reveals more colorful bands of rock, including volcanic basalt and rhyolite, with hoodoos, pillars, and domes rising above the Owyhee River across from the dark lava flows of Lambert Rocks. This is a cross-country route, taking advantage of a jeep track, a wash that trickles with water, a sagebrush draw, and colorful vantage points 600 feet above the Owyhee. Pay attention to the description and use a compass so you don’t get hopelessly lost in this wide open country. Much credit goes to William L. Sullivan for outlining this route in his 100 Hikes/Travel Guide: Eastern Oregon .
Trail Stats
8.0 km
187 m
1141 m
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Photos
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