List of rock formations in the United States facts for kids

The United States is home to many amazing rock formations. These are natural shapes made by wind, water, and ice over millions of years. They can be towering buttes, delicate arches, or strange hoodoos. This list will take you on a journey to discover some of the coolest rock formations across different states!

Arizona

Spider Rock stands tall in Canyon de Chelly.

This is Pinnacle Balanced Rock.

The West and East Mitten Buttes look like giant mittens.

Window Rock has a natural opening.

Arizona is famous for its incredible desert landscapes and unique rock shapes.

• Antelope Canyon is a beautiful slot canyon. It has smooth, wavy walls carved by water.
• Canyon de Chelly National Monument is home to Spider Rock. This tall sandstone spire rises over 750 feet (229 meters) from the canyon floor.
• Chiricahua National Monument is known as a "wonderland of rocks." You can see many balanced rocks and interesting shapes here, like Pinnacle Balanced Rock.
• Coyote Buttes is where you find The Wave. This amazing sandstone formation looks like a frozen ocean wave.
• Grand Canyon is one of the world's most famous natural wonders. It has many named rock features, including huge buttes and "temples" like Shiva Temple and Vishnu Temple.
• Hole-in-the-Rock is a cool sandstone formation in Papago Park near Phoenix. It has a large opening that looks like a window.
• Monument Valley is an iconic landscape with towering sandstone buttes. The most famous are The Mitten Buttes, which look like giant hands.
• Petrified Forest National Park features ancient trees turned into stone. You can see formations like Agate Bridge, which is a petrified log forming a natural bridge.
• Tonto Natural Bridge is believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world.
• Window Rock is a large sandstone arch. It is a significant landmark for the Navajo Nation.

California

Devils Postpile has columns that look like organ pipes.

Skull Rock looks like a giant skull.

Moro Rock is a huge granite dome.

Vasquez Rocks are tilted and folded.

El Capitan is a famous climbing spot.

California offers a wide variety of rock formations, from desert landscapes to towering granite peaks.

• Alabama Hills near the Sierra Nevada mountains has unique rounded rock formations. One popular spot is Mobius Arch, which frames Mount Whitney perfectly.
• Death Valley National Park has striking geological features. Zabriskie Point offers amazing views of badlands formations.
• Devils Postpile features tall, hexagonal basalt columns. They were formed by cooling lava.
• Joshua Tree National Park is known for its unique rock piles and Joshua trees. Skull Rock is a popular formation that looks like a giant skull.
• Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve has strange tufa towers. These are columns of limestone formed underwater.
• Moro Rock in Sequoia National Park is a huge granite dome. You can climb steps carved into it for amazing views.
• Pinnacles National Park has volcanic rock formations. These include caves and spires.
• Vasquez Rocks are famous for their dramatic, tilted rock layers. They have been featured in many movies and TV shows.
• Yosemite National Park is home to some of the world's most iconic granite formations.
  • El Capitan is a massive granite monolith. It is a favorite challenge for rock climbers.
  • Half Dome is another famous granite dome. It looks like it was cut in half.
  • Clouds Rest and Sentinel Rock are other impressive peaks in the park.

Colorado

The Painted Wall shows colorful patterns.

Colorado's diverse landscape includes stunning canyons and unique rock structures.

• Colorado National Monument is often called "Little Grand Canyon." It has towering monoliths and canyons.
  • Independence Monument is a tall sandstone tower.
  • The Coke Ovens are rounded rock formations that look like old coke ovens.
• Garden of the Gods near Colorado Springs features dramatic red sandstone formations. They are tilted and sculpted into unique shapes.
• Painted Wall in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is the tallest cliff in Colorado. It has striking patterns of light and dark rock.
• Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a famous outdoor concert venue. It is surrounded by huge red sandstone rocks.

Georgia

Georgia has some notable rock formations, including one of the largest exposed granite domes.

• Rock City is a unique attraction on Lookout Mountain. It features ancient rock formations, gardens, and scenic views.
• Stone Mountain is a large quartz monzonite dome monadnock. It is known for its massive carving on its side.

Hawaii

Iao Needle is a sharp, green peak.

Hawaii's volcanic origins have created distinctive rock formations.

• Iao Needle on Maui is a famous landmark. It is a sharp, green-mantled volcanic peak.

Kansas

Mushroom Rock looks like giant mushrooms.

Kansas might be flat in many places, but it has some surprising rock formations.

• Castle Rock is a chalk formation. It looks like a medieval castle.
• Monument Rocks are also chalk formations. They are sometimes called the "Chalk Pyramids."
• Mushroom Rock State Park is home to sandstone rocks shaped like giant mushrooms. They were formed by erosion.

Massachusetts

Plymouth Rock is a famous historical landmark.

Massachusetts has historical and interesting rock formations.

• Plymouth Rock is a famous historical landmark. It is traditionally believed to be where the Pilgrims first landed in 1620.

Michigan

Arch Rock is a natural limestone arch.

Miner's Castle has turrets like a castle.

Michigan's Great Lakes shoreline features impressive rock formations.

• Arch Rock on Mackinac Island is a natural limestone arch. It was formed by the waters of Lake Huron.
• Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on Lake Superior has colorful sandstone cliffs.
  • Miner's Castle is a famous rock formation with two turrets that look like a castle.
  • Chapel Rock is a sandstone formation with a tree growing on top.

Missouri

Johnson's Shut-Ins has unique water-carved rocks.

Missouri's state parks offer interesting geological features.

• Elephant Rocks State Park has huge granite boulders. They look like a herd of elephants.
• Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park features unique rock formations in a riverbed. The water flows through narrow channels, creating natural "shut-ins."

Montana

Chief Mountain is a sacred peak.

Montana's vast landscapes include majestic mountains and unique rock features.

• Chief Mountain in Glacier National Park is a prominent and sacred peak. It stands out from the surrounding mountains.
• Chinese Wall is a long, narrow rock ridge. It stretches for miles in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
• Pompeys Pillar is a sandstone butte. It has a signature carved by William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Nebraska

Chimney Rock was a landmark for pioneers.

Nebraska's plains are marked by historic rock formations.

• Chimney Rock is a famous geological formation. It was a landmark for pioneers traveling the Oregon Trail.
• Scotts Bluff National Monument is a collection of bluffs. It also served as a landmark for pioneers.

Nevada

Lexington Arch is a large limestone arch.

Nevada's desert environment has carved out some striking rock formations.

• Lexington Arch in Great Basin National Park is a large natural limestone arch. It is one of the biggest in the western United States.
• Red Rock Canyon near Las Vegas has dramatic red rock formations. They are popular for hiking and climbing.
• Valley of Fire State Park is Nevada's oldest state park. It is known for its bright red sandstone outcrops. Elephant Rock and Fire Wave are notable formations here.

New Mexico

Shiprock is a striking volcanic neck.

New Mexico's unique geology includes volcanic features and eroded landscapes.

• City of Rocks State Park has volcanic rock formations. They look like a city of stone buildings.
• El Morro National Monument features a large sandstone bluff. It has carvings and signatures from early travelers.
• Shiprock is a stunning volcanic neck. It rises dramatically from the desert floor. It is a sacred place for the Navajo people.
• Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument has cone-shaped tent rock formations. They were created by volcanic eruptions and erosion.

New York

Chimney Bluffs are tall, eroded spires.

New York has interesting rock formations, especially along its waterways.

• Chimney Bluffs State Park on Lake Ontario features tall, sculpted earth formations. They look like chimneys.
• The Palisades are dramatic cliffs along the Hudson River. They are made of diabase rock.

North Carolina

North Carolina's mountains are home to several notable rock formations.

• Blowing Rock is a huge rock formation. The wind often blows upwards here, making light objects float.
• Chimney Rock State Park has a large granite monolith. You can climb to the top for amazing views.
• Hanging Rock State Park features several prominent rock formations. These include Hanging Rock itself and Moore's Knob.

Oregon

Wizard Island is a volcanic cone in Crater Lake.

Smith Rock is popular for climbing.

Oregon's diverse landscape includes volcanic features and coastal stacks.

• Crater Lake is a deep blue lake in a volcanic caldera. It contains two islands: Wizard Island, a volcanic cone, and Phantom Ship, a small island that looks like a ghost ship.
• Haystack Rock, off the coast of Cannon Beach, is a famous sea stack. It is a popular spot for wildlife.
• Smith Rock is a popular climbing destination. It has towering rock spires and cliffs.

South Dakota

The Needles are sharp granite spires.

South Dakota is home to iconic monuments and unique rock formations.

• Mount Rushmore is a famous monument carved into a granite mountain. It features the faces of four U.S. presidents.
• The Needles in Custer State Park are sharp granite spires. They are popular for rock climbing.

Texas

El Capitan Reef is a striking mountain peak.

Texas has a variety of rock formations, from desert mountains to unique granite domes.

• Big Bend National Park has rugged mountains and desert landscapes. Notable formations include Elephant Tusk and Mule Ears.
• El Capitan in Guadalupe Mountains National Park is a striking peak. It is part of an ancient fossil reef.
• Enchanted Rock is a huge pink granite dome. It is a popular spot for hiking and climbing.

Utah

Delicate Arch is a famous natural arch.

Thor's Hammer is a unique hoodoo.

Mesa Arch frames the landscape.

Waterpocket Fold is a long wrinkle in the Earth.

Toadstool, Fisher Towers, looks like a mushroom.

Zebra Canyon has striped walls.

Rainbow Bridge is a huge natural bridge.

The entrance to The Subway is a unique slot canyon.

Utah is a treasure trove of incredible rock formations, especially its famous national parks.

• Arches National Park has over 2,000 natural sandstone arches.
  • Delicate Arch is the most famous and iconic arch in Utah.
  • Landscape Arch is one of the longest natural arches in the world.
  • Balanced Rock is a huge boulder perched on a narrow pedestal.
• Bryce Canyon National Park is famous for its "hoodoos." These are tall, thin spires of rock.
  • Thor's Hammer is a well-known hoodoo that looks like a giant hammer.
• Canyonlands National Park is a vast wilderness of canyons and mesas.
  • Mesa Arch is a popular spot for sunrise photos. It frames the distant landscape.
  • Druid Arch is a unique, cross-shaped arch.
• Capitol Reef National Park features the Waterpocket Fold. This is a 100-mile-long wrinkle in the Earth's crust.
  • Temples of the Sun and Moon are impressive sandstone monoliths.
• Goblin Valley State Park is filled with strange, mushroom-shaped hoodoos. They look like goblins.
• Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument is a huge area with diverse landscapes.
  • Grosvenor Arch is a large, double natural arch.
  • Zebra Canyon is a slot canyon with striped walls.
• Natural Bridges National Monument has three massive natural bridges.
  • Sipapu Natural Bridge is the largest and most impressive.
• Rainbow Bridge National Monument is one of the world's largest known natural bridges. It is considered sacred by several Native American tribes.
• Zion National Park is known for its massive sandstone cliffs and deep canyons.
  • Angel's Landing is a famous and challenging hike to a narrow rock fin.
  • The Great White Throne is a massive white sandstone mountain.
  • The Narrows is a popular hike through a narrow slot canyon.
  • The Subway is a unique slot canyon with circular pools.

Virginia

Natural Bridge is a huge natural arch.

Virginia has some impressive natural rock formations, including a famous natural bridge.

• Natural Bridge is a massive natural arch. It was once owned by Thomas Jefferson.

Washington

Washington's diverse geography includes coastal formations and unique desert features.

• Beacon Rock is a huge basalt monolith. It is the core of an ancient volcano.
• Ruby Beach in Olympic National Park is known for its sea stacks. These are tall rock formations standing in the ocean.

West Virginia

Seneca Rocks are popular for climbing.

West Virginia's mountains are home to prominent rock formations.

• Seneca Rocks are towering sandstone fins. They are a popular destination for rock climbers.

Wyoming

Independence Rock was a famous landmark for pioneers.

Wyoming's vast landscapes feature iconic rock formations, including a famous tower.

• Devil's Gate is a narrow gorge. It was a significant landmark for pioneers on the Oregon Trail.
• Devils Tower is a striking igneous intrusion. It rises dramatically from the surrounding landscape. It was the first National Monument in the United States.
• Independence Rock is a large granite rock. Many pioneers carved their names into it as they passed by.