A lava flow some 200 feet (61 meters) thick formed extremely hard volcanic rock which resisted a billion years of erosion which cut down surrounding formations.
[2][3] This formed both Palisade Head and Shovel Point, which is within the main part of Tettegouche State Park about two miles (three kilometers) to the east.
[6][7] The headland is covered by a mixed forest of white spruce, mountain ash, aspen, paper birch, and oak.
[11] Palisade Head is undeveloped; there are no improvements except for an access road, antenna tower, short-term parking, and a few low rock walls near the edge of the cliffs.
These cliffs were used for more sinister, albeit fictional purposes in The Good Son, the climax of which was filmed on location at Palisade Head.