This is one of the most scenic spots in the Šventoji River valley, attracting both tourists and scientists who study the outcrop. The Šventoji valley is said to have begun forming about 10,000–12,000 years ago. During the last glaciation the river managed to cut through the entire thickness of sandy and gravelly deposits around Mikieriai (almost 20 metres) and even the moraine loam beneath them. Later, shifting from side to side, it widened the valley and formed terraces. Around Mikieriai, the largest part of the Šventoji valley is taken up by the first terrace, which in places is up to half a kilometre wide. Cutting through the sandy deposits, the Šventoji fully developed its loops here. That is why the river bends near Mikieriai are wide and rounded, in places almost joining up, and there are even counter-currents in them. To describe river channels, a term called the sinuosity coefficient is used, and compared with other parts of the Šventoji, it is highest near Mikieriai: 2.14.