From rocks shaped like mushrooms to other rocks shaped like mittens, here are 20 Strangest Geological Formations in the US
Subscribe to American Eye!
9. The Devil’s Slide, Utah
Another rock formation given the name associated with the devil himself, is found on the border of Wyoming in Northern Utah’s weber valley. It almost looks like a petrified water in a sense. The slide consists of two parallel limestone strata that have been tilted and protrude 40 feet on the mountainside. Similar to some of the rock formations on this list, this one here shows how different layers of rock are more resistant to erosion than others. This is the case for the limestone that makes up the slide. It’s believed that the layer of sandstone that was once in the middle, completely eroded to the point where it’s no longer visible.
8. Mexican Hat Rock
Although the name might not be politically correct, it gets it’s name for the sombrero shape and has also been on various lists for unusual place names. A little town near by is named Mexican Hat But the rock formation is just as unusual! This formation is also found in Utah in San Juan county, located in the southeastern part of state. The rock is about 60 feet high and 12 feet wide. It appears to be perfectly balanced at the top and seems like it’d be pretty fun to climb. Climbers claim it’s fairly easy to get up but the rock at the top takes some rope.
7. Little Finland, Nevada
Possibly displaying the exactly opposite of anything Finnish, is known as little finland and it’s found in Southern Nevada just east of lake mead. It gets it’s name for the fin shaped formations that are found here. Possibly one of the strangest rock formations in the world, this one is also quite difficult to get to and may require some type of off road vehicle. It’s comprised of what’s known as Red Navajo Sandstone which is the kind that’s found at the Valley of Fire as well.
6. Angel’s Landing
Found at Zion National park in Utah, this well known hiking location doesn’t just look unusual, it’s also quite dangerous to those who aren’t taking the hike seriously. This formation juts out from the ground 1,488 feet and provides spectacular views of the valley below. The trail to get to the top has been known to be extremely strenuous and there’s no mattress at the bottom in case you fall.There’s been a recorded 5 fatalities recorded by park officials and there’s only a chain to help you get to the top. The layers of rock date back to 270 million years ago back when dinosaurs roaming the planet.
5. Waffle Rock
While many strange rock formations have somewhat believable, but mysterious explanations, not all are so clear! Believed to be 300 million years old, this rock formation has baffled geologists and has even send conspiracy theorists into frenzies! The geometric patterns we see in this photo are quite smooth and elaborate, it might make some people believe these were tire tracks from fred flintstone’s car or something! Other theories include, native american carvings, aliens and giant reptiles have all been mentioned. The geological explanation seems to simply be that the cracks in the rock were filled with quartz and other parts of the sandstone, continued to erode. What do you believe!
4. Skull Rock
Located in Joshua Tree national park, this spooky looking rock formation almost looks like a human skull if you look at it from the right angle. Although it might not perfectly resemble a skully it’s can be somewhat eery for hikers to find while passing by. It’s a favorite location for visitors at this massive national park and it’s only about a 1.7 mile hike to reach and many people claim it’s a pretty easy trail. The most notable features are the eye sockets and the fore head. Just use your imagination and it’s pretty strange!
3. Toadstools
Some more crazy rock formations in Utah, these one’s are fairly similar to the mushroom stones we mentioned early but much taller and made of red sandstone. Found near the border of Arizona the toadstools are protected under the Grand Staircase escalante national monument and this area seems quite interesting to explore. It almost seems as though you’ve reached an entirely different planet when you take a look at these toadstools, and they’re scattered throughout the land here.
2. Bisti Rock Formations
Located in San Juan County in the US state of New Mexico, this desolate area in the desert is home to some mysterious looking rock formations that we see in this photo. The photos of this place are taken in the Navajo Nation and formed nearly 70 million years ago. Geologists believe the strange appearance is due to a large amount of ash deposited into swampy land and moved around from a flowing river. Today, the rocks jut out from the ground and no two seem to match. Rock formations like these are important for us to preserve to better understand Earth’s past.
1. Calico Basin, Nevada
20 Strangest Geological Formations in the US
Теги
StrangestgeologicalformationsUScraziesthikingrocksclimbingrock climbingmysteriousmost mysteriouscrazyinterestingeducationalgeologyweirdplanet earthenvironmentnational parksstate parkssouthwestmushroom rockelephant rockzion national parktravel tipstravellingnaturenature photographyamerican eyeisolated placesshockingunsolvedacutally existwon't believein the united statesbiggest rocksrock formationshistorylearningnevada