in

20 Mind-Bending Rock Formations That Look Like They’re From Another Planet

Michaellbrawn/Wikimedia Commons

Nature sculpts the Earth’s surface in ways challenging our understanding of geology. In remote corners of our planet, far from human settlements, strange rock formations tell stories of ancient forces at work. These geological marvels, shaped by millions of years of wind, water, and tectonic activity, are silent witnesses to Earth’s raw creative power. Let’s have a look.

The Wave (Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs, Arizona)

Gb11111/Wikimedia Commons

Like a frozen river of stone, this remarkable formation flows through remote Arizona wilderness. Its red and white sandstone bands curve and twist to reflect its origins as 190-million-year-old dunes. Because of its fragile nature, the site now operates under a strict permit system and allows only 20 daily visitors to preserve its delicate beauty.

Tsingy de Bemaraha (Madagascar)

shell300/Pixabay

One of Madagascar’s most striking views features a vast expanse of razor-sharp limestone spikes that pierce the sky. Over thousands of years, persistent tropical rainfall carved these stones into their current needle-like state while simultaneously creating deep canyons between them. The local name “Tsingy” perfectly captures the experience, as it translates to “walking on tiptoes.”

Zhangjiajie Pillars (China)

YHBae/Pixabay

In China’s first national forest park, towering sandstone columns appear from swirling mists like ancient sentinels. Rising over 3,000 feet high, these natural skyscrapers witness nature’s patient artistry. As water and wind slowly wore away the surrounding mountain, they left behind these isolated towers that now define the region’s skyline.

Chocolate Hills (Philippines)

LambdaScorpii/Pixabay

Bohol island’s scenery gives you an extraordinary sight: more than 1,200 perfectly symmetrical hills rising from the Earth like giant scoops of ice cream. Approximately 98 to 160 feet tall, these limestone domes are covered in grass that turns chocolate brown during the dry season. Their uniform shape comes from centuries of weathering on ancient coral deposits. 

Pamukkale Pools (Turkey)

LoggaWiggler/Pixabay

A cascade of white limestone terraces holds brilliant blue thermal pools in southwestern Turkey’s mountainside. These natural infinity pools formed as mineral-rich spring water flowed down the slope over centuries, depositing layer upon layer of white travertine. The Greeks thought these waters could heal people, building their city Hierapolis right next to them.

Salar de Tara (Chile)

Carlos Urzua/wikipedia

High in Chile’s Atacama Desert, at a breathtaking altitude of 14,800 feet, is the remarkable ethereal salt flat. Here, strange rock formations stand guard over crystal-clear saltwater lagoons to create an out-of-this-world atmosphere. The coolest part? Pink flamingos somehow thrive here despite the harsh conditions.


Lençóis Maranhenses (Brazil)

Leo_Leo/Pixabay

Unlike any desert you’ve ever seen, this Brazilian wonder combines sweeping white sand dunes with crystal-clear freshwater pools. Regular rainfall fills the spaces between. Thanks to an impermeable rock layer beneath the sand, these pools persist, forming a stunning white and turquoise patchwork stretching for miles.

Moeraki Boulders (New Zealand)

Barni1/Pixabay

Along a stretch of New Zealand’s coastline lie perfectly spherical stones that look almost too uniform to be natural. Each one took over 4 million years to form and weighs several tons. Crack one open, and you’ll find sparkling crystals inside. They’ve become deeply woven into local Maori culture, featuring prominently in traditional stories and legends.

Fingal’s Cave (Scotland)

Fingal’s Cave (Scotland)

Thecheeseistalking99/Wikimedia Commons

This sea cave looks like someone built it with giant hexagonal blocks. Actually, it formed when lava cooled super fast 60 million years ago when ancient lava flows cooled at just the right rate.  When waves crash inside, they create such amazing echoes that a famous composer wrote music about it.

Richat Structure (Mauritania)

Axelspace Corporation/Wikimedia Commons

Deep in the Sahara Desert is a massive circular formation that spans an astounding 28 miles. Initially, people thought it to be a meteor crater; however, scientists later identified it as an eroded dome where different rock layers wore away at varying rates. This natural process makes it one of Earth’s most impressive features when viewed from space.

Shilin Stone Forest (China)

Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas/Wikimedia Commons

Located in China’s Yunnan Province, this forest is made entirely of limestone pinnacles that reach toward the sky. Over 270 million years of rainfall slowly carved these towering stones to dissolve the softer rock between them. Throughout the day, sunlight plays across their weathered surfaces and creates dynamic shadows. 

Dallol Hydrothermal Field (Ethiopia)

Kotopoulou Electra//Wikimedia Commons

In Earth’s lowest land volcano, a kaleidoscope of mineral pools creates an alien scenery. Because of intense heat and unique chemical conditions, the ground here features pools of colorful water that continuously flow and change. While this harsh environment seems uninhabitable, it fascinates scientists who study how life might exist in extreme conditions on other planets.

Fly Geyser (Nevada)

Ken Lund from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA/Wikimedia Commons

What began as a simple, well-drilling accident in Nevada’s desert has become a stunning natural artwork. Since its creation, hot water spraying from the ground has deposited minerals that form growing, colorful mounds. Meanwhile, heat-loving algae have made their home on these structures, and as a result, the formation keeps growing larger each year.

Giant’s Causeway (Ireland)

code poet on flickr/Wikimedia Commons

This incredible natural pathway of six-sided stone columns is along Northern Ireland’s coast. When ancient lava cooled here 60 million years ago, it cracked into these remarkably uniform shapes. The columns fit together so perfectly that they inspired tales of giants building a bridge across the sea. Today, thousands of these hexagonal pillars create a natural stairway into the ocean.

Cave of Crystals (Mexico)

Alexander Van Driessche/Wikimedia Commons

Mexico’s Chihuahuan Desert has a cave that holds an astonishing secret. Talk about the massive crystal beams that stretch from floor to ceiling. Some of these incredible formations, some as long as a school bus, grew in perfect conditions of constant heat and humidity. The environment inside remains so hot that explorers must wear special cooling suits.

Karst Mogotes (Puerto Rico)

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/ Wikimedia Commons

Puerto Rico’s northern plains are unexpectedly punctuated by rounded limestone hills, known locally as mogotes. These cone-shaped formations were sculpted by water over time, which also carved extensive cave systems within them. Each mogote serves as a unique ecosystem, supporting distinct plant communities. Their presence even influences the local weather patterns.

Suaeda Salt Marsh (China)

吴张帆/Wikimedia Commons

Each autumn, this coastal wetland is painted a vibrant crimson as millions of salt-tolerant plants turn bright red. Thriving in soil that would be lethal to most vegetation, these hardy plants create a breathtaking natural spectacle. This unique ecosystem is a vital habitat for migratory birds traveling through the region.

Rainbow Mountains (China)

Han Lei/ Wikimedia Commons

Layers of different colored rock form the striped mountains of China’s Danxia region. Each band represents a distinct type of rock deposited over millions of years. Tectonic forces tilted these layers nearly vertically, exposing their colorful stripes. Rain further accentuates the reds, yellows, and purples, creating a striking contrast against the surrounding view.

Bisti Badlands (New Mexico)

Intricate Explorer/Pexels

Wind and water have sculpted this remote desert into a collection of otherworldly rock formations. Preserving traces of an ancient river delta, including petrified logs and dinosaur fossils, the area features strange shapes carved from layers of sandstone and shale. These natural sculptures, seemingly defying gravity, have remained intact due to the area’s isolation.

Blood Falls (Antarctica)

National Science Foundation/Peter Rejcek/Wikimedia Commons

Under Taylor Glacier, iron-rich water seeps into Antarctica’s white ice to create a striking red stain. This marks an ancient saltwater lake trapped beneath the glacier. The water’s high iron content gives it its distinctive color and prevents freezing in the extreme cold. Within this sealed ecosystem, microbes thrive in conditions reminiscent of those on other planets.

Written by Gabriel Rickles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *