# Giant Rock, and other anomalous places you’ve been **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** vacation-travel\ **Created:** [June 15, 2026, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917 "2026-06-15T19:45:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/61 "2026-08-19T00:32:06Z")
Last week during a camping trip, we did a nighttime kayak tour to see bioluminescent phytoplankton in the water of Hood Canal. Truly spectacular to see all the little guys light up as you paddle. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/62 "2026-08-19T01:19:10Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > In the really cool waterfall category I recommend [Silver Falls State Park](https://traveloregon.com/things-to-do/destinations/parks-forests-wildlife-areas/silver-falls-state-park/) in Oregon. The main falls (South & North) have National Park-level trails that take you into the large alcoves behind the falls. We hiked those trails when we lived in Portland. Another place that is interesting is The Valley of 10,000 Smokes in Alaska. You hike down a trail to the lava/ash field which is 700 feet deep in places. It’s a desolate place with very little growing there. The Novarupta eruption in 1912 was the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century. Kodiak Island, 100 miles away, ended up with three feet of ash on the ground. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/63 "2026-08-19T01:28:56Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Who’s been? I was there. By accident. Don’t Drive while Sleep Deprived, Boys and Girls! ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/64 "2026-08-19T01:54:13Z")
> [@Stana\_Claus](#): > > It also seems to be popular with rock climbers, but I believe rock climbing is only allowed at certain times and requires a permit. To climb Devils Tower, I’m pretty sure a permit is required but I do know they allow climbing year round. They do request climbers avoid the month of June, but it’s a request and not a mandate. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/65 "2026-08-19T06:58:44Z")
What happens in June? Is that when the ETs make their annual return for ~~fresh meat~~ more intrepid earthling astro-adventurers? ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/66 "2026-08-19T09:54:15Z")
That’s the month for religious celebrations for the Native Americans. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/67 "2026-08-19T23:00:26Z")
[A Stuntman’s Jump: Parachutist Stranded for Days on Devils Tower | WyoHistory.org](https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/stuntmans-jump-parachutist-stranded-days-devils-tower) Neat story about getting stranded on top of Devil’s Tower in 1941 ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/68 "2026-08-19T23:49:56Z")
Cool story, thanks for sharing it. It has a good picture of what the top of Devil’s Tower looks like. lt’s not a big crater, like I always thought (that wouldn’t make sense). ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/69 "2026-08-19T23:56:41Z")
When it comes to giant rocks, Uluru is one of the giant-est. From my trip to Oz in 2005: [![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczMEwiMeg2Xx6tPDLc9mFO3Ow5PN0rXEGo7UUtGorve-MP6Fw32lf20cTMx9m_OKm15DNYmwT6CHAKmVxbSIPf9o-gjD2TQ4Y1Zl68GiFdqIEs-W9nelqw2Ho8AF9sF5gTGp2Bv8KML1kw-suYDp1wiN3Q=w1492-h664-s-no?authuser=0) ](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczMEwiMeg2Xx6tPDLc9mFO3Ow5PN0rXEGo7UUtGorve-MP6Fw32lf20cTMx9m_OKm15DNYmwT6CHAKmVxbSIPf9o-gjD2TQ4Y1Zl68GiFdqIEs-W9nelqw2Ho8AF9sF5gTGp2Bv8KML1kw-suYDp1wiN3Q=w1492-h664-s-no?authuser=0) ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2026, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/70 "2026-08-20T02:00:01Z")
Meh. The entire 4 Corners region is made up rock like that. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2026, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/71 "2026-08-20T15:40:24Z")
Along time ago, I stopped for a few minutes near the Mystic Stone of the Savannah in Ghana: [This mystic stone in Ghana is believed to always return to its exact location when moved - Face2Face Africa](https://face2faceafrica.com/article/this-mystic-stone-in-ghana-is-believed-to-always-return-to-its-exact-location-when-moved) The rock itself is not particularly stunning, but the culture beliefs around it are interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2026, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/72 "2026-08-24T15:01:59Z")
Nutty Putty Cave ▲ 40.0976, -112.0371 ➜ [Nutty Putty Cave ▲ 40.0976, -112.0371 - Album on Imgur](https://imgur.com/gallery/nutty-putty-cave-40-0976-112-0371-1Z8wx10) ■ Rest in Peace, John Edward Jones [![](https://i.imgur.com/Cw8AnN3.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/Cw8AnN3.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2026, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/73 "2026-08-30T00:34:54Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Nutty Putty Cave ▲ 40.0976, -112.0371 > > ➜ [Nutty Putty Cave ▲ 40.0976, -112.0371 - Album on Imgur](https://imgur.com/gallery/nutty-putty-cave-40-0976-112-0371-1Z8wx10) ■ > > Rest in Peace, John Edward Jones Directions to the cave [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/zwZRwvl.jpeg "Nutty Putty Cave: R.I.P. John Edward Jones") ](https://imgur.com/gallery/nutty-putty-cave-r-i-p-john-edward-jones-lgd0CKD) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2026, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/74 "2026-08-30T01:49:31Z")
(Directions to the cave, and some more photos, are in that imgur link.) ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2026, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/75 "2026-08-30T03:18:51Z")
Elephant’s Perch, Sawtooth Wilderness, Idaho About a seven mile hike from Redfish Lake, near Stanley. I first hiked there with my father in 1962, when I was 8. I’ve returned four times, mostly recently in 2006, when this picture was taken. [![](https://i.ibb.co/4ZBvfKXp/AISelect-20260720-193536-Photos.jpg) ](https://i.ibb.co/4ZBvfKXp/AISelect-20260720-193536-Photos.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![X.L.Lent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a5b964/32.png) [@X.L.Lent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X.L.Lent)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2026, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/76 "2026-08-30T07:17:32Z")
Here are some places that come to my mind: The [Amboy Crater](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amboy_Crater) is a volcano that last erupted about 10,000 years ago and is a short hike from old Route 66. It is not a place to visit in the summer as can reach 110°F (43°C). You can hike to the top of the volcano and down into the inside of the crater. [Mono Lake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mono_Lake) has a very unique landscape. From the wierd shapes of the tufa towers to the nearby volcanos it gave me a feeling of being on another planet. The[Trona Pinnacles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trona_Pinnacles) located in dry Searles Lake are another example of tufa towers. It’s alien planet like landscape has been used in many science fiction movies. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2026, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/77 "2026-08-30T13:49:22Z")
My brothers and I always joked that Pilot Mountain was a giant fossilized dinosaur turd. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2026, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/78 "2026-08-30T14:32:39Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Pictures of The Wave are awesome. I’ve never been but that’s been on my radar for a long time. Valley of Fire State Park (near Vegas) has some similar rock formations. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2026, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/79 "2026-08-30T17:10:39Z")
Inspired by [this 2017 thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-is-this-location-in-california/789956?page=3) I made a pilgrimage to The Devils Basin on the northern California coast. Not that great of a photo, but it was taken right on the edge of a sheer drop off. These days I imagine a drone could get a much better perspective. [![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczO0Lbijl4WLjt5kgXLRG072tHwf1znHI3QTOfL6lHxX2DYhl8RscxxcCKDSBnhr8FcSBFZ50CMnz9qAloV_i29xpTUrJvk1_NUIKLYpKPBhKXXiAuxYXkKTHSn_dwy4u1Z1WRRp9-YCdPs3RrM6JKpbOw=w1061-h795-s-no?authuser=0) ](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczO0Lbijl4WLjt5kgXLRG072tHwf1znHI3QTOfL6lHxX2DYhl8RscxxcCKDSBnhr8FcSBFZ50CMnz9qAloV_i29xpTUrJvk1_NUIKLYpKPBhKXXiAuxYXkKTHSn_dwy4u1Z1WRRp9-YCdPs3RrM6JKpbOw=w1061-h795-s-no?authuser=0) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2026, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917/80 "2026-08-30T22:43:14Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Valley of Fire State Park (near Vegas) has some similar rock formations. A really good place, especially on a hot sunny summer day and it really looks on fire. Added: Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado is a beautiful place. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-rock-and-other-anomalous-places-you-ve-been/1030917.md?page=5)