Petersen Rock Garden & Museum — Attraction in Oregon

If you like roadside attractions—the kind that spring from one person’s sheer vision, diligence, and obsession—then Peterson Rock Garden is an absolute must-see.

This place is a folk art fever dream come to life: hand-built miniature castles, bridges, and patriotic monuments, all crafted from lava rock, agate, petrified wood, and glass. It’s eccentric, a little weathered, and absolutely unforgettable.

But here’s the real hidden gem: the gift shop. Calling it a treasure trove doesn’t do it justice. We found genuine showpiece items for our home at unbelievable prices—pieces we’d expect to see in a curated boutique for triple the cost. On top of that, the staff gave us a mini history lesson about the garden’s creator and the surrounding area while we browsed. It was one of those moments where you go in expecting a kitschy stop and leave with a story, a haul of amazing finds, and a greater appreciation for the passion behind the place.

A quick heads-up: if you hear what sounds like a mythical creature howling through the trees, don’t panic—you’re not being hunted. That’s just one of the overly dramatic peacocks voicing his displeasure at… who knows what. There are peacocks all over the grounds, strutting freely and occasionally screaming like something out of Jurassic Park. It’s weird, wonderful, and totally on brand for a place like this.

Highly recommend taking the detour. You...

If you like rocks & all things unique & eclectic... You'll love this place! First of all, it's free... Not really, however... only because we arrived there later in the day & we were the only ones there at that time (didn't even see any caretakers, owners, no one.. ? ) ... & the museum was closed so we didn't get to check that out, but since we were already there & it was my 1st time there, we did explore everything else outside & had a blast!... It's so peaceful as you walk around taking in all the incredibly unique rock structures, & most of them you can climb around on & explore.. At least, we did anyway.. I can only imagine the amount of time & dedication it must have took to bring their passion to life .. to take such a grandiose idea and make it a reality for everyone to enjoy.. from what i understand, it's only a shadow of it's"glory days" but with that said, it's still pretty cool & we enjoyed our offbeat adventure very much & spent several hours exploring every nook & cranny while letting our imaginations run wild like little kids do (every once in awhile you gotta let that inner child loose to play!!!) & as you're taking pics of everything, don't forget to take pics of the majestic peacocks that freely roam around the grounds... They do put on quite the display! They are magnificent to say the least! I don't know which was my favorite... The rock structures or...

This is a piece of Central Oregon history, that is truly off the beaten path, and exceptionally unique. I want so badly to give this a higher rating, because the obvious amount of artistic love that was poured into this place is so monumental. In fact, that is what this is: monuments. The garden is a very large walkthrough (and on top of) collection of stones, shells, mineral samples, and more that has been assembled into bridges, houses, and mountains of art. You cannot picture this in your mind, it must be seen. With peacocks and chickens roaming openly throughout, and an inside museum of rock and fossil samples, it is a great place to wander. Bring a lunch and eat at one of the picnic tables. But there is a problem that needs to be addressed: decay. Over the decades things have begun to fall apart. From tree root upheaval to concrete cracks, things have begun to go downhill. Some repairs have been begun, but you get the sense that they may not be able to catch up. The State of Oregon should seriously consider making this a historical landmark and give them some financial assistance, or this treasure just might be lost to future...