The Grass-Covered Mounds In Washington That Still Baffle Scientists To This Day
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Jessica Wick
Author
If you’re familiar with Thurston County, you may have heard of the Mima Mounds. The Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve is located about 20 miles south of Olympia, and it’s a nice, peaceful place to hang out and stretch your legs. It also happens to be one of Washington’s greatest mysteries.
The National Park Service designated this space a National Natural Landmark in 1966, and it's one of only 17 in Washington.
The site spans 637 acres, so it's not a small area.
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There's just one concern: even after decades of research, nobody knows what caused them.
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However, virtually every theory has been proven wrong, and scientists are still baffled.
Other hypotheses say that they formed via shock waves from earthquakes, ancient floods, or runoff from glaciers. The Upper Chehalis Tribe took a mythical approach. Long ago, one of the tribal members refused to bathe or wash her face because she was scared that something bad would happen to the Earth. When she finally bathed, it rained so hard the world flooded. When the water receded, the prairie land below took on the shape of waves.
Luckily, they are harmless, and they give us one unique landscape.
Do you have any theories on Washington’s Mima Mounds?
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Mima Mounds Trailhead, 13549 Mima Rd SW, Olympia, WA 98512, USA