Posted in Kansas Nature June 02, 2022 by

8 Ancient Rock Formations In Kansas That Will Utterly Fascinate You

Kansas is full of natural wonders and beautiful scenery, but some of our favorite places to go are rock formations. Left behind after long periods of erosion or taken from the ground and displayed, these eight places in Kansas are sure to rock your socks off. Come take a look at what nature has provided! These rock formations in Kansas are as beautiful as they are intriguing:

1. Monument Rocks - Gove County
Patrick Emerson/Flickr
Known as one of the "Eight Wonders of Kansas", this rock formation is made of Niobrara Chalk, a very brittle substance that's chock full of fossils of all sizes and shapes. It was left here millions of years ago, when this area of Kansas used to be the Western Interior Seaway. We hope it sticks around for a while longer, too!
Monument Rocks Natural Landmark, Scott City, KS 67871, USA
2. Castle Rock - Gove County
Patrick Emerson/Flickr
Castle Rock is an ever-shrinking rock formation in the badlands of Kansas. It stands alone surrounded by open ground and more badlands raised above the dirt. Slowly but surely, this formation will completely disappear as time erodes it away.
Castle Rock, Larrabee, KS 67752, USA
3. Little Jerusalem - Logan County
James St. John/Flickr
Little Jerusalem is an area of Kansas that's not currently available to the public, but we hope it will be soon. It's absolutely gorgeous.
Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park, County Road 400 and Gold Road, Oakley, KS 67748, USA
4. Rock City - Minneapolis
valoisem/Flickr
These spherical boulders were once part of a huge rocky area, but are all that's left after erosion from wind and water took the softer stone away from the harder spheres. The area covers about two football fields of space, dotted with around 200 boulders in three areas. This is a fascinating geological formation in Kansas that invites a sense of whimsy that we just love.
Rock City Park, 1051 Ivy Rd, Minneapolis, KS 67467, USA
5. Mushroom Rock State Park - Brookville
Vincent Parsons/Flickr
These mushroom shaped rocks at Mushroom Rock State Park, and were left here millions of years ago, along the edge of the inland sea that once covered much of the central United States. The tops are made of the same sandstone as rocks in the Dakotas, and the bottoms are made of a softer rock that erodes away much faster, leaving a mushroom shape.
Mushroom Rock State Park, Ave K, Brookville, KS 67425, USA
6. Teter Rock - Cassoday
Patrick Emerson/Flickr
Teter Rock wasn't always here, believe it or not. A man named James Teter erected this pile of rocks here to mark Teterville and the Cottonwood River for travelers.
Teter Rock, 2555 300th, Eureka, KS 67045, USA
7. Rock Town - Wilson Lake
Doug Neidholdt/AllTrails
These sandstone towers around Wilson Lake are anywhere from 15-30 feet tall, and appear in beautiful red and orange hues against the blue of the lake. Not only is it a great place to sight see, but the hiking trail connected to "Rock Town" is amazing too!
Wilson Lake, Kansas, USA
8. Limestone Fence Posts - Lucas
Kansas Tourism/Flickr
Limestone makes up much of the Flint Hills area, and trees do not. Because of that, it was much easier for farmers to place limestone fence posts than wooden ones, and today we get to see those posts (carved or uncarved) still standing today. This particular one is in Lucas, but they're found all over the Flint Hills area.
Lucas, KS 67648, USA

You’ll also see some beautiful rock faces and caves at this stunning state park in Kansas you also shouldn’t miss! What are your favorite places in Kansas? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

Address: Wilson Lake, Kansas, USA
Address: Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park, County Road 400 and Gold Road, Oakley, KS 67748, USA
Address: Lucas, KS 67648, USA
Address: Teter Rock, 2555 300th, Eureka, KS 67045, USA
Address: Monument Rocks Natural Landmark, Scott City, KS 67871, USA
Address: Castle Rock, Larrabee, KS 67752, USA
Address: Rock City Park, 1051 Ivy Rd, Minneapolis, KS 67467, USA
Address: Mushroom Rock State Park, Ave K, Brookville, KS 67425, USA

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The OIYS Visitor Center

Rock Formations in Kansas

June 07, 2022
Tori Jane

What are some interesting Kansas rock formations?  

Kansas might be a mostly flat, kind-of-boring place when it comes to geology, but that doesn’t mean it’s without its points of interest! There are SOME interesting Kansas rock formations scattered around the state, and they’re must-visits when it comes to those who are interested in the subject. Some of our favorite geological formations in Kansas include the Monument Rocks, which are gigantic monoliths of Niobrara chalk, jutting out above the mostly flat landscape near Oakley, Kansas. There’s also the lesser-known attraction known as Rock City, in Minneapolis, Kansas, which is filled with enormous boulders and unusual (for the region) geological formations.  

How did the western Kansas rock formations come to be?  

So, speaking of Monument Rocks, how exactly did this interesting geological wonder in Kansas come to be? South of Oakley is Monument Rocks, and south of Quinter exists a “sister” location called Castle Rock. Both Kansas rock formations are chalk-based and very rich in fossils – you can look, but please don’t take them! Created by the erosion from a seabed during the Cretaceous period 80 million years ago, it’s kind of tough to imagine anywhere in Kansas being beneath an ocean – but here we are.  

What are some of the most unique rock formations in Kansas?  

There are numerous unique rock formations in Kansas, like the above-mentioned Monument Rocks and Castle Rock. In Brookville, for instance, check out Mushroom Rock State Park, which is home to some of the most interesting geological wonders in the entire central US. The tops are made of a sturdier, harder-to-erode rock, and the bottoms are made of a softer, easily eroded rock, creating a very unusual mushroom shape that’s impossible to miss. You’ll also likely find the Rock Town at Wilson Lake to be interesting, too, as they’re quite different from most geologic features in Kansas.  

Address: Wilson Lake, Kansas, USA
Address: Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park, County Road 400 and Gold Road, Oakley, KS 67748, USA
Address: Lucas, KS 67648, USA
Address: Teter Rock, 2555 300th, Eureka, KS 67045, USA
Address: Monument Rocks Natural Landmark, Scott City, KS 67871, USA
Address: Castle Rock, Larrabee, KS 67752, USA
Address: Rock City Park, 1051 Ivy Rd, Minneapolis, KS 67467, USA
Address: Mushroom Rock State Park, Ave K, Brookville, KS 67425, USA

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.