You've probably seen the beautiful, colorful hills and buttes of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Looking closer, however, you might see some truly fascinating things. The huge, expansive park is loaded with unique geological formations hidden among the valleys and on the sides of the canyons. Feeling adventurous? Explore the park to find some of them! These unique rock formations in North Dakota are a part of one of the best hikes in the state.
The badlands of North Dakota are a truly magnificent place to see. The colorful layers of the canyons are just one part of the many unique, interesting geological formations that are within the 70,000 acres of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
In both the North Unit and the South Unit, you'll find unusual rocks in all sorts of places. There are tons of trails you can take, so grab your hiking boots and explore these formations yourself.
One type of formation you'll see is caprocks, also called hoodoos, where erosion has worn away pillars with rocks perched on top, creating mushroom-like formations.
Another odd yet intriguing formation is the cannonball concretions. These spheres are entirely natural and were formed over thousands of years deep below the ground. Now, erosion has exposed many of them fully and partially.
It's hard not to be wowed by these - you'd think spheres so smooth could only be manmade, and yet they are entirely natural. If you don't feel like hiking, these can be found on a pullout where you can drive right up and see them.
You'll also find lots of petrified wood in the park. These massive tree stumps, now mineralized, were once huge trees from many thousands of years ago when this area was a swampy bog covered in sequoia-like trees.
There is beauty around every corner in this park in ways that almost seem otherworldly. Even the park's namesake, former President Theodore Roosevelt who absolutely loved this area, commented on how bizarre and not-of-this-earth these formations seemed.
Even if you've seen the pictures of the vast landscape, you'll definitely want to check out the many geological wonders at this park in person to really be able to admire them fully.
Which of these formations have you seen yourself? The National Park Service website has a page with more information about them, and how to visit.
Too cold to hike the badlands? You should check out an amazing, rare collection of rocks and minerals at this quirky rock museum in North Dakota.
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