帕卢斯连绵起伏的丘陵，华盛顿州，美国 Rolling hills of the Palouse, Washington (© svetlana57/Getty Images)

帕卢斯连绵起伏的丘陵，华盛顿州，美国 Rolling hills of the Palouse, Washington (© svetlana57/Getty Images)

大自然的绿色地毯 Nature's green quilt

帕卢斯连绵起伏的丘陵，华盛顿州

一波又一波的柔软丘陵绵延于帕卢斯地区。这片宁静的区域位于华盛顿州东南部，向爱达荷州和俄勒冈州的边界延伸。覆盖着小麦的坡地随着季节更迭而变换色彩。春季，丘陵呈现出郁郁葱葱的绿色，年轻的小麦和大麦开始生长；夏季则转变为干燥的金黄色，作物即将收割。

常被誉为华盛顿州最宁静的自然奇观之一，帕卢斯地区标志性的起伏山丘源于一段古老而引人入胜的地质故事。这些类似沙丘的山丘并非由河流或地壳运动塑造，而是由来自干旱西南部的风吹尘土和细粒淤泥（即“黄土”）在数千年中逐渐堆积而成。在冰河时代，来自加拿大的冰川将岩石磨成细小的“冰川粉”，这些粉尘流入史前时期的冰川密苏拉湖。当冰坝决堤时，洪水席卷了华盛顿州东部，留下层层淤泥。随后，主导风将这些尘埃带到该地区，沉积成我们今天所见的丘陵。

Rolling hills of the Palouse, Washington

Wave after wave of velvety hills stretch across the Palouse. This tranquil region lies in southeastern Washington, extending to the borders of Idaho and Oregon. The wheat-covered slopes shift in color with every passing season. In spring, the hills turn lush shades of green as young wheat and barley begin to grow, while summer transforms them into dry, golden browns as the crops near harvest.

Often hailed as one of Washington State's most serene natural wonders, the Palouse owes its signature rolling hills to an ancient and fascinating geological story. These dune-like hills were shaped over thousands of years—not by rivers or tectonic shifts, but by windblown dust and fine silt, known as 'loess,' carried from the arid Southwest. During the Ice Ages, glaciers from Canada ground rock into fine 'glacial flour,' which flowed into the prehistoric Glacial Lake Missoula. When ice dams broke, floods swept across eastern Washington, leaving behind layers of silt. Prevailing winds later carried that dust to this region, settling it into the hills we see today.