Hat Rock State Park
Hat Rock
Hat Rock State Park is located in Oregon
Hat Rock State Park
Hat Rock State Park is located in the United States
Hat Rock State Park
TypePublic, state
LocationUmatilla County, Oregon
Nearest cityHermiston
Coordinates45°54′53″N 119°09′54″W / 45.9148548°N 119.1650109°W / 45.9148548; -119.1650109[1]
Operated byOregon Parks and Recreation Department

Hat Rock State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Oregon, administered by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. The park is located off the east side of U.S. Highway 730 in Hermiston,[2] on the south shore of Lake Wallula behind McNary Dam on the Columbia River.[3]

Flood basalt

Anchor, a landmark in the Park

See also: Columbia River Basalt Group

Hat Rock is a geological formation that, along with another outcropping rock in the park called Boat Rock, are thought to be exposed remnants of a 12-million-year-old basalt flow. Floods from the Ice Age eventually left these bedrocks, as well as others along the Columbia River Gorge exposed at the surface of the Earth.[4] It is 70 feet (21 meters) high.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Hat Rock State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
  2. ^ Fanselow, Julie (2003). Traveling the Lewis and Clark Trail. Falcon. p. 252. ISBN 0-7627-2589-3.
  3. ^ "McNary Dam and Lake Wallula". U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
  4. ^ Bannan., Jan Gumprecht (2002). Oregon State Parks. Mountaineers Books. p. 212. ISBN 0-89886-794-0.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hat Rock State Park.


Protected areas of Oregon
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