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Vernal pools atop the plateaus fill during the rainy season in winter and spring because the andesite is impermeable. The dwarf woolly meadowfoam, a species of wildflower, grows around these pools and no where else in the world.
The pools are also one of only a few places where the threatened species of fairy shrimp can be found. To protect these and other threatened species, the Bureau of Land Management has listed the rocks as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern since 1984.
Interestingly, Upper and Lower refer to their location along the Rogue River, not their height. Upper Table Rock, 2,091 feet above sea level at its highest point, is located upstream, while Lower Table Rock is farther downstream, with an elevation of 2,049 feet.
