Photo by Bill45 at Shutterstock
While we can appreciate man-made wonders, nothing even begins to come close to the beauty of our natural world. We all want to spend some more time in nature, and thankfully there’s no shortage of unbelievable sights to enjoy. We have lots to choose from.
From rugged mountains and bellowing waterfalls to thick forests and gorgeous beaches. Created through millions of years of erosion, chiseled by wind and water, these natural rock formations lure in thousands of tourists, who are willing to travel some difficult roads just to admire the views.
Whether it be for their shape, components, location, or beautiful surroundings, visitors flock to these spectacular-looking rocks. Many of them are massive, and viewing them is breathtaking. So, let’s take a look at 10 of the most incredible rock formations in the US.
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This Canyon is the most popular but also the most photographed slot canyon globally, and it’s located right in Arizona’s backyard. There are two different sections within this canyon, one is the upper antelope canyon, and the other is the lower antelope canyon.
Most tourists tend to visit the upper antelope canyon because it requires no climbing and offers an easy walkthrough, an excellent light reflection, and gorgeous coloring in the summer. Lower antelope canyon requires climbing through preinstalled staircases, so it’s not for the faint of heart.
Unlike the upper antelope canyon, the lower antelope canyon also has narrow paths. But it still offers impressive rock formations for the visitors. Flash flooding is the leading natural force behind the construction of these slot canyons, and dangerous floods hit the antelope canyon in monsoon season to this day.
This is the first declared National monument of the US. It was announced in 1906 by president Theodore Roosevelt. Devils tower is located in black hills in the state of Wyoming, and it was formed by volcanic activity and erosion.
A considerable number of sedimentary rocks also crafts the surrounding area of Devil’s towers. This rock tower consists of many hexagonal, four-sided, and seven-sided columns. The oldest stone found in the Devil’s tower is from Triassic time, from over 225 million years ago.
This tower is a also a religious point for many local tribes. Due to this cultural significance climbing to this monument is closed for June of every year. There are 150 different rock climbing routes for the visitors to reach the top. So no matter your skill level, there is something for everyone in this magnificent place.
You’ll find this unusual rock formation within Mono lake, a shallow saltwater lake in California. Mono lake has a high salt concentration with no outlet into the ocean. The underwater spring of this lake is further enriched by calcium.
The mixing up of water carbonates in the lake with calcium of spring causes a chemical reaction and limestones formations. It took several decades for the rock formation of these deposits and the development of the tufa towers.
These limestone towers have a height of 30ft and are in an unusual shape. The only species that seem to survive within the saltwater of this lake are brine shrimps. Millions of migratory birds also visit the area annually.
Horseshoe Bend has been carved down near the colorado river, located a mere 7 miles from Grand Canyon in Arizona. It was formed over 200 million years ago by mother nature’s continuous action of water over colossal sand dunes.
Different types of minerals mixed with water and snow strengthened many different layers of this zig-zag pattern formation. The layers of these ancient giant sand dunes still remain within horseshoe bend.
Minerals like iron, hematite, platinum, and granite can also be found within horseshoe bend. This area has some of the most stunning picturesque views you will ever see!
This unique formation of basalt columns of Devil’s postpile is located in Mammoth mountain. There are around 400 within Devil’s postpile, varying in size and shape. There are seven, six-sided, five-sided, four-sided, and three-sided columns.
Their diameter range between 2.5 feet and 4 feet and have a height of about 60 feet. Devil’s postpile was formed over 100,000 years ago by lava flow in the valley of Joaquin river.
Because of variations in the cooling of lava, it is possible to see different polygonal cross-sections within columns of Devil’s postpile. The action of glaciers even polished this wall of rock columns about 10,000 years ago. Gotta love mother nature, right?
This rock formation is undoubtedly one of the most well-known on our list. In fact, it’s one of the most globally recognized landmarks of Utah, located in Arches National Park.
The 35-foot natural arch is even featured on Utah’s postage stamp. Not to mention that it’s also the most photographed natural arch in the world. The delicate arch was formed from entrada sandstone millions of years ago by, you guessed it, mother nature and erosion.
The arc-looking angle was named by the leader of Arches National Park, Frank Beckwith. And while it’s beautiful any time of year, the most number of hikes are recorded in the spring and mid-winter seasons.
This rock formation is one of the most notable rock formations in the United States Of America, in the shape of a skull, and its located in Joshua Tree National Park in California.
Skull rock was formed by the continuous action of raindrops, and rocks getting eroded when water built up. The two eye sockets formed on the rock that way made it look exactly like a skull.
These days, Skull Rock has become a favored tourist attraction of Joshua Tree National Park among tourists. And what makes this beautiful location a breeze is that you’ll find parking just across the street from the formation!
Have you been to any of these astonishing locations? Share your experiences with us in the comments section below!
And if you liked reading about these spots, you should check out: 10 Heavenly US Swimming Holes To Dive Into This Summer
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