Today we got together with Katie and Mike for a drive instead of a hike - it was a good day to be inside an air-conditioned car. Just north of the Cove Palisades State Park, the road climbed to the top of the canyon overlooking the Pelton Regulating Reservoir. Pelton Dam is just visible in the distance.
The State Park is situated on the shores of Lake Billy Chinook. The lake is fed by three rivers - the Metolius, the Deschutes and the Crooked Rivers. It was quite popular with boating enthusiasts. We saw fishing boats, ski boats, jet skis and houseboats.
Everywhere, the volcanic roots of the area were evident. It brought to mind Devil's Tower in Wyoming (on a slightly smaller scale).
We stopped at several overlooks. Below, the Deschutes River (on the right) is joined with the Crooked River in Lake Billy Chinook.
The rock formation, evident in the wall behind this waterfall, was fascinating. The sun lighting up a rainbow in the mists was just a little added bonus.
As we crossed the lake, I noticed this Bald Eagle perched high on the rocks watching a group of crazies jumping from the bridge into the lake.
Without a translation, there was no way to know what this message was about. Since it was nearing 6:00pm and stomachs were growling, we made this the last stop for the day and headed home for dinner.
This bolder, or "rock panel," was discovered in 1961 along the west bank of the Crooked River. It was moved to this location (at the side of the road) in 1963 in hopes of slowing its weathering process. The petroglyphs age remains a mystery.
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