The Chalk Formations At Kansas's Monument Rocks Look Like Something From Another Planet
By Clarisa|Published April 20, 2020
×
Clarisa
Author
Born and raised Kansan, Clarisa has lived in both tiny towns and cities during their time here in the Sunflower State. As a busy mother of one crazy kid, two cats, and two geckos, they write whenever there is spare time.
Kansas is full of surprises, from Arikaree Breaks to the Gypsum Hills. We love our amazing natural landscapes, and Monument Rocks is no different. These chalk formations are from a years-ago inland sea, but today they look like another place entirely separate from Kansas. Have you seen these in person yet?
If you truly want to feel like you're in another world, venture out to rural Gove county to see the odd beauty of Monument Rocks.
These chalk formations were formed as part of the bottom of the Western Interior Seaway, an ocean of sorts in the middle of our continent that used to cover this area.
Western Kansas has a few formations like this, due to the specific type of sediment and soil left behind when they were part of the ocean. You can even see the layers from far away, streaks meaning different levels of various minerals as the water slowly went down.
Because these rocks were laid during the Cretaceous Period estimated 80 million years ago, there are many little fossils that are part of these formations. Large and small, you can sometimes see tiny sea lifeforms embedded into the surface. Leave them be, though!
Not often viewed from above, you can really tell there used to be water here when comparing to other Kansas locations like Wilson State Park's rocks. This member of the 8 wonders of Kansas deserves its rank.
The only sad part about this monument is that all of these sometimes 70 foot high formations will eventually disappear. The wind and rain that hits these structures all year round is slowly eroding them piece by piece and grain by grain. See them while they're tallest, because they break down more the longer you wait. I can't imagine how tall they were back in the days when we first settled Kansas.
It's open from sunup to sundown, with no climbing, digging, camping, or otherwise doing things besides exploring and taking photos. Please don't leave any trash behind, either!
To keep an eye on any closings, unstable road conditions, and the official rule list, check out the official Monument Rocks Facebook page updated every time there’s changes.
