Erratic Rock State Natural Site – McMinnville, Oregon - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

AO Edited

Erratic Rock State Natural Site

McMinnville, Oregon

A 36-ton remnant of the last Ice Age now resides amid picturesque vineyards.  

View all photos
Erratic Rock State Natural Site velellavelella (Atlas Obscura User)
Erratic Rock State Natural Site velellavelella (Atlas Obscura User)
The pull-off is opposite the trailhead. Anna Minster (Atlas Obscura User)
The site is easy to miss, look for the brown recreational area signs. velellavelella (Atlas Obscura User)
Picnic table for scale. velellavelella (Atlas Obscura User)
View from the top of the glacial erratic. velellavelella (Atlas Obscura User)
View from the top looking south kayhoskins66 (Atlas Obscura User)
Enjoy the local flora and fauna. velellavelella (Atlas Obscura User)
61
219
Top Places in McMinnville
The museum as seen from the road.
Evergreen Aviation Museum
McMinnville, Oregon
The Spruce Goose
McMinnville, Oregon
 See All

Thousands of years ago, cataclysmic floods inundated the Pacific Northwest and carried massive pieces of glaciers sailing across what is now Washington and Oregon. The floodwaters receded, stranding these icebergs. When they melted, they left behind large pieces of rock that had been carried from hundreds of miles away. Known as glacial erratics, these rocks differ in size and composition from native rocks. 

The largest known glacial erratic in the Willamette Valley perches serenely atop a hill near McMinnville and weighs around 36-tons. The massive rock was transported from Canada. Visitors making the short hike to the boulder might be lucky enough to see the neighboring farm animals or native plants in bloom.

This location is a great place to enjoy a picnic lunch or simply take in the expansive views of the valley. 

Know Before You Go

Though there are many signs for Erratic Rock in the area, it might be difficult to find at first because it is surrounded by private land. To get there, turn off Oregon Route 18 onto SW Oldsville Rd.


Park in the small pull-off on the side of the road and look for signs marking the trailhead. The park is open for day use only and has no facilities. 

glaciers natural history natural wonders nature
Nearby
The Spruce Goose
8.52 miles
Evergreen Aviation Museum
8.59 miles
Wheatland Ferry
12.42 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
The H-4 Hercules, aka "Spruce Goose."
McMinnville, Oregon

The Spruce Goose

The wooden airship was the largest flying boat ever built.
The museum as seen from the road.
McMinnville, Oregon

Evergreen Aviation Museum

Home of Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose.
Docked. Note the upper cable to which the ferryboat is tethered.
Salem, Oregon

Wheatland Ferry

This incongruous small ferry across the Willamette River north of Salem, Oregon has been operating continuously since the 1850s.
The Museum of Mental Health
Salem, Oregon

Oregon State Hospital Museum of Mental Health

An institution that preserves the history of institutionalization.
Related Places
Winona, Missouri

Rocky Falls

A 40-foot waterfall flows into this unique natural swimming hole.
Garron Point 5.
Carnlough, Northern Ireland

Garron Point Headland

Amazing vistas await visitors to this stretch of coastline.
Alligator Gorge
Wilmington, Australia

Alligator Gorge

The evolution of a simple creek cutting its way through an ochre mountain side.
Jusanji Pond in autumn
Cheongsong, South Korea

Jusanji Pond

Trees emerge from the surface of this small man-made reservoir.
Appears in 1 List
Rollstone Boulder
List

13 Places to Celebrate Erratic Behavior

If you’re one of those “everything in its place” people, you’re going to hate this.
Gemma Tarlach February 15, 2022
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web