CHRISTMAS VALLEY, Ore. – Out in Oregon’s desolate high desert plateau, west of Steen’s Mountain and east of Crater Lake, sits a small town with a heartwarming name: Christmas Valley.

It isn’t a magic little town ringed by decorated fir trees and home to busy elves, but some streets do have holiday-themed names, a holdover from when real estate developers tried to entice Californians to move to the wide-open Oregon spaces early in the 20^th century.

Very few did.

Today, Christmas Valley is a quiet, hard-scrabble town like most on the barely-settled Oregon frontier, with a 3-digit population living mostly in spare homes and trailers spread out on large lots. Most residents work in the agriculture or cattle businesses.

In the summer, the unincorporated burg bakes in triple-digit heat from a merciless desert sun. Sub-zero temperatures along with dry desert weather make the dirt as hard as concrete in the winter. The occasional snowstorm does blow through, however.

Tourists seeking out huge open spaces and interesting places make up a trickle of visitors who hike, camp and enjoy a brief respite from the high-speed world in large cities a half-day drive away.

One of the most interesting spots near Christmas Valley is a geological formation with a tourist-trap name: Crack in the Ground.

The story continues after each photo.

There are no tacky signs or booths selling official Crack in the Ground T-shirts.

In fact, unless you have a good map or GPS, it can be hard to find. And if you aren’t careful, you can walk off a cliff and fall into it. There aren’t many signs or fencing to warn you off.

But The Crack, as it is known locally, is worth finding.

The meandering rock crevasse, over 70 feet deep in places and about 2 miles long, is well named. It really is just a big… crack in the ground.

The Crack ranges from a few feet across in some of the tight spots to a yawning 50-foot wide chasm in others.

According to geological studies, The Crack formed relatively recently, even as recent as 1,000 years ago. It lies in a volcanically active plain near some large lava flows, which are also worth exploring.

The Crack formed when older rock to the southeast slowly sunk down while another section stayed in place.

The result is a yawning chasm lined with massive basalt block boulders tilting hither and yon, forming doorways, tunnels and obstacles that force visitors to climb, contort, and squeeze through in order to continue following the meandering canyon.

In most places, a small pathway allows easy walking for people and four-legged companions (usually of the canine persuasion). But be prepared and wear hiking boots you're not afraid to scuff up. Gloves are a good idea as well.

Traversing the length of the Crack pays off with a multitude of photo opportunities and some fairly robust climbing, but nothing so difficult a grade-school age child can’t emerge victorious.

Odd rock formations created by a combination of wind wear, water erosion and chemical decomposition challenge obvious explanation.

Towering boulders that look like they could tip over at any moment but have stood silently for centuries prompt visitors to hurry by.

In the colder months, which begin in September and last through May, ice can be found along the bottom of the Crack for months after snow or rain as the sun’s rays are too offset to melt it away.

As evening sets in, visitors leave Crack in the Ground for warmer, drier confines.

There are no lights at the Crack, and its not a good idea to explore it – let alone try to find it – after dark.

There is no admission fee to explore Crack in the Ground.

Bill Roberson is a Web producer for KATU.com and Fisher Interactive Networks. He is an avid photographer and traveler, usually by motorcycle.