Wyoming is known for the boldness and beauty of its dramatic landscapes. In fact, in some cases, the captivating landscape is made up of some of the most intriguing spectacles of nature there are, and we just happen to be lucky enough to live here. These bizarre natural formations in Wyoming will make you think twice about what you consider “average”:
- Devils Tower
carfull…from Wyoming/Flickr Devils Tower is located in northeastern Wyoming in the Bear Lodge Mountains, which are part of the legendary Black Hills. This is an amazing geologic feature with hundreds of seemingly perfectly parallel cracks and crevices, which makes it a phenomenal destination for climbing or just a bunch of admiration.
- Hell’s Half Acre
Jeff Goetz/Wikimedia Hell’s Half Acre is a geologic oddity located 40 miles west of Casper, Wyoming. This formation is made up of deep ravines and unusual rock formations. It’s a strange place for sure, but we’d be lying if we said it wasn’t ridiculously photogenic.
- Teepee Fountain
J. Stephen Conn/Flickr This is a unique formation found in Hot Springs State Park in the appropriately-named Thermopolis. It’s man-made, technically, as it was originally a teepee-shaped vent for pipes intended to distribute incredibly hot spring water to let off some pressure. Over the years, water flowing over the pipe and its brick foundation have deposited layer upon layer of minerals. It’s huge, and it grows more every year.
- Boar’s Tusk
carfull…from Wyoming/Flickr Boars Tusk is a rare geologic feature in the United States. This isolated remnant is all that’s left of the core of an extinct volcano. Boars Tusk is one of the lesser-known wonders of Wyoming, which is too bad, because it’s absolutely fascinating.
- Vedauwoo
Bryce Bradford/Flickr Vedauwoo is an area located in southeastern Wyoming made up of unusual outcroppings of rocks. These rocks are some of the oldest in Wyoming.
- Castle Gardens
Bureau of Land Management/Flickr Castle Gardens is located in central Wyoming, east of Riverton. Here, the wind has eroded the sandstone into shapes resembling towers of a castle. This unusual formation has been attracting visitors for thousands of years, and we can see why!
- Travertine Terraces At Mammoth Hot Springs
Yellowstone National Park/Flickr The travertine terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs are some of the most unique and beautiful in the world. Travertine is a form of limestone that is produced by a hot spring, and let’s just says it’s plentiful here.
- Fishing Cone
James St. John/Flickr Fishing Cone is a geyser in Yellowstone National Park in the vicinity of the West Thumb Geyser Basin. At one time, the cone erupted 40 feet into the air. Today, the water is so cool it no longer erupts, and it’s now considered a simple hot spring.
Do you know of any other bizarre natural formations in Wyoming? Did we leave out your favorite? Tell us about it in the comments!
carfull…from Wyoming/Flickr
Devils Tower is located in northeastern Wyoming in the Bear Lodge Mountains, which are part of the legendary Black Hills. This is an amazing geologic feature with hundreds of seemingly perfectly parallel cracks and crevices, which makes it a phenomenal destination for climbing or just a bunch of admiration.
Jeff Goetz/Wikimedia
Hell’s Half Acre is a geologic oddity located 40 miles west of Casper, Wyoming. This formation is made up of deep ravines and unusual rock formations. It’s a strange place for sure, but we’d be lying if we said it wasn’t ridiculously photogenic.
J. Stephen Conn/Flickr
This is a unique formation found in Hot Springs State Park in the appropriately-named Thermopolis. It’s man-made, technically, as it was originally a teepee-shaped vent for pipes intended to distribute incredibly hot spring water to let off some pressure. Over the years, water flowing over the pipe and its brick foundation have deposited layer upon layer of minerals. It’s huge, and it grows more every year.
Boars Tusk is a rare geologic feature in the United States. This isolated remnant is all that’s left of the core of an extinct volcano. Boars Tusk is one of the lesser-known wonders of Wyoming, which is too bad, because it’s absolutely fascinating.
Bryce Bradford/Flickr
Vedauwoo is an area located in southeastern Wyoming made up of unusual outcroppings of rocks. These rocks are some of the oldest in Wyoming.
Bureau of Land Management/Flickr
Castle Gardens is located in central Wyoming, east of Riverton. Here, the wind has eroded the sandstone into shapes resembling towers of a castle. This unusual formation has been attracting visitors for thousands of years, and we can see why!
Yellowstone National Park/Flickr
The travertine terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs are some of the most unique and beautiful in the world. Travertine is a form of limestone that is produced by a hot spring, and let’s just says it’s plentiful here.
James St. John/Flickr
Fishing Cone is a geyser in Yellowstone National Park in the vicinity of the West Thumb Geyser Basin. At one time, the cone erupted 40 feet into the air. Today, the water is so cool it no longer erupts, and it’s now considered a simple hot spring.
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Address: Devils Tower, WY 82714, USAAddress: Hell’s Half Acre, Wyoming, USAAddress: Teepee Fountain, Thermopolis, WY 82443, USAAddress: Boars Tusk, Wyoming, USAAddress: Vedauwoo Glen Road, Vedauwoo Glen Rd, Wyoming, USAAddress: Castle Gardens, Wyoming, USAAddress: Mammoth, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, USAAddress: Fishing Cone, Wyoming 82190, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Bizarre Natural Formations in Wyoming April 22, 2021 Tori Jane What are some of the most interesting rock formations in Wyoming? Wyoming is a state with awe-inspiring geologic wonders almost everywhere you turn. Our strange landscape ranges from everything to weirdly solitary mountains to geysers to everything in between. For example, Heart Mountain is a strange little place where the mountain just kind of wandered away from its friends and family for a distance of about 25 miles, all by itself. It’s a solitary little mountain peak hanging out all by itself, and it’ll definitely make you look. There’s also the famous Devil’s Tower formation, which is so significant that it’s a national monument! Seriously, the geology of Wyoming is absolutely awe-inspiring. Need more Wyoming rocky weirdness? This article might satisfy your geology craving! What kind of natural gems in Wyoming can I visit? Oh, gosh, where do we begin? We are a state filled to the brim with incredible natural beauty and countless natural wonders. When it comes to nature lovers, Wyoming is one of those places that are seriously just pure perfection. Yellowstone National Park is obviously the most famous choice; there’s nothing quite like visiting a place where geysers and hot springs are the norm, but what are some lesser-appreciated ones? Jackson Lake at Grand Teton National Park is the definition of pristine (and honestly, so is that entire park). There’s also the Hot Springs State Park, which goes woefully underappreciated in the shadow of Yellowstone. These aren’t all of them, either; they’re just some of our favorites! Where can I go hiking in Wyoming? Does the answer “anywhere” mean anything to you? Okay, maybe not literally anywhere (we’ve got some interesting and dangerous places here), but the hiking possibilities are endless. There are hundreds - if not thousands - of incredible trails winding throughout our beautiful state. Some of the most popular include Cascade Canyon Trail, tucked inside Grand Teton National Park, as well as literally any of the trails there. Yellowstone also has a decent share of trails, and so do various wildernesses around the state. No matter what kind of surroundings you prefer when you’re on a hike, you’ll find them in Wyoming.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Bizarre Natural Formations in Wyoming
April 22, 2021
Tori Jane
What are some of the most interesting rock formations in Wyoming? Wyoming is a state with awe-inspiring geologic wonders almost everywhere you turn. Our strange landscape ranges from everything to weirdly solitary mountains to geysers to everything in between. For example, Heart Mountain is a strange little place where the mountain just kind of wandered away from its friends and family for a distance of about 25 miles, all by itself. It’s a solitary little mountain peak hanging out all by itself, and it’ll definitely make you look. There’s also the famous Devil’s Tower formation, which is so significant that it’s a national monument! Seriously, the geology of Wyoming is absolutely awe-inspiring. Need more Wyoming rocky weirdness? This article might satisfy your geology craving! What kind of natural gems in Wyoming can I visit? Oh, gosh, where do we begin? We are a state filled to the brim with incredible natural beauty and countless natural wonders. When it comes to nature lovers, Wyoming is one of those places that are seriously just pure perfection. Yellowstone National Park is obviously the most famous choice; there’s nothing quite like visiting a place where geysers and hot springs are the norm, but what are some lesser-appreciated ones? Jackson Lake at Grand Teton National Park is the definition of pristine (and honestly, so is that entire park). There’s also the Hot Springs State Park, which goes woefully underappreciated in the shadow of Yellowstone. These aren’t all of them, either; they’re just some of our favorites! Where can I go hiking in Wyoming? Does the answer “anywhere” mean anything to you? Okay, maybe not literally anywhere (we’ve got some interesting and dangerous places here), but the hiking possibilities are endless. There are hundreds - if not thousands - of incredible trails winding throughout our beautiful state. Some of the most popular include Cascade Canyon Trail, tucked inside Grand Teton National Park, as well as literally any of the trails there. Yellowstone also has a decent share of trails, and so do various wildernesses around the state. No matter what kind of surroundings you prefer when you’re on a hike, you’ll find them in Wyoming.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Wyoming is a state with awe-inspiring geologic wonders almost everywhere you turn. Our strange landscape ranges from everything to weirdly solitary mountains to geysers to everything in between. For example, Heart Mountain is a strange little place where the mountain just kind of wandered away from its friends and family for a distance of about 25 miles, all by itself. It’s a solitary little mountain peak hanging out all by itself, and it’ll definitely make you look. There’s also the famous Devil’s Tower formation, which is so significant that it’s a national monument! Seriously, the geology of Wyoming is absolutely awe-inspiring. Need more Wyoming rocky weirdness? This article might satisfy your geology craving!
What kind of natural gems in Wyoming can I visit?
Oh, gosh, where do we begin? We are a state filled to the brim with incredible natural beauty and countless natural wonders. When it comes to nature lovers, Wyoming is one of those places that are seriously just pure perfection. Yellowstone National Park is obviously the most famous choice; there’s nothing quite like visiting a place where geysers and hot springs are the norm, but what are some lesser-appreciated ones? Jackson Lake at Grand Teton National Park is the definition of pristine (and honestly, so is that entire park). There’s also the Hot Springs State Park, which goes woefully underappreciated in the shadow of Yellowstone. These aren’t all of them, either; they’re just some of our favorites!
Where can I go hiking in Wyoming?
Does the answer “anywhere” mean anything to you? Okay, maybe not literally anywhere (we’ve got some interesting and dangerous places here), but the hiking possibilities are endless. There are hundreds - if not thousands - of incredible trails winding throughout our beautiful state. Some of the most popular include Cascade Canyon Trail, tucked inside Grand Teton National Park, as well as literally any of the trails there. Yellowstone also has a decent share of trails, and so do various wildernesses around the state. No matter what kind of surroundings you prefer when you’re on a hike, you’ll find them in Wyoming.
