Smith Rock State Park, Oregon, United States May 16, 2026

What do you call a place where the rocks do the climbing, and humans try to keep up? Welcome to Smith Rock State Park in Oregon, United States, where cliffs rise fast and excuses fall faster. It sits inside the 41-kilometre-long Crooked River Caldera, shaped by multiple volcanic eruptions. Its welded tuff cliffs are made from compressed volcanic ash that cooled under pressure. The Crooked River carved the canyon, while formations like the Spire rise over 200 metres.

© Alex Ratson/Getty Images

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