About 200 million years ago this area was covered by a vast inland sea, which caused layers of sediment, mud and sand, to be formed and hardened. Later, forces under the surface pushed these layers upward, forming parallel ridges. Although erosion slowly wore those ridges flat, a second upheaval created the present height and appearance of the land. The wearing away is a continuous process that can be seen from the overlook, as the Russell Fork River keeps cutting through the rock to deepen the canyon even more. Elevation here is 1730 feet.