Wanderlust Tours | Connley Caves Archaeological Site Tour

Get an in-person look at an active archaeological dig-site that is uncovering and researching ancient civilizations dating back 13,000 years and explore Fort Rock while gaining insight into why this area is home to such evidence of ancient civilizations.
Adventure: Our adventure will start at Connley Caves, an active archaeological site that lies just south of Fort Rock. We will get an in depth look at the site as well as a presentation from Dr. Katelyn McDonough, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology and Director of the Archaeology Field School at the University of Oregon, and Richie Rosencrance about the history they are hoping to uncover through their work. After our journey into the past, we will head to Fort Rock, an ancient volcanic tuff ring that rises out of the flatness of the high desert. During our time at Fort Rock, we will embark on a few stunning hikes, enjoying a picnic style dinner as the sun sets to the west.

Naturalist Guided Experience: During the tour, your guides will impart their knowledge about human history in the Central Oregon and Great Basin region, touching on how this now high-desert landscape was drastically different 13,000 years ago and why those differences created a rich and sustainable ecosystem for plants, animal, and humans alike. For thousands of years, people lived and traveled through this area and spent significant time in the caves. Thanks to the protective nature of these caves, material objects from their lives remain intact to this day and are giving us insight into how they lived. Dr. McDonough and her team’s work at Connley Caves focuses on the long-term relationships between the people, landscape, and diet of those that lived here thousands of years ago. Alongside learning about the specifics of Connley Caves and its ancient inhabitants, your guides may also discuss how new and groundbreaking discoveries in the Pacific Northwest have pushed back the timeline of human presence in the Americas from 13,000 years to over 18,000 years!