Fort rock is a special place that looks like a really big rock rising up out of the ground. It's in a desert area in Oregon and is very old, like super duper old. Scientists believe that it was formed by ancient volcanic activity a long, long time ago.
The rock is special because many people who lived in the area a long time ago used it as a kind of shelter. They would go there to get out of the hot sun or to find protection from the wind. These people, called Native Americans, also left behind some things like bits of bone and some really pretty rocks with designs on them.
Nowadays, scientists go to Fort rock to learn more about what life was like for these ancient people. They dig up things called artifacts, which are basically any objects that tell us more about what people used or made. It's like going on a treasure hunt!
So, even though Fort rock looks like it's just a big grey rock, it's actually really important because it tells us about the history of the land and the people who lived there a long time ago.