With some of the most remarkable rock formations in North America, Alaska is a place of untamed beauty. These natural treasures, which range from rocky coastal spires to tall granite pillars, provide hikers, photographers, and nature lovers with an unforgettable experience.
Granite Tors (Chena River State Recreation Area)
- Location: Near Fairbanks, Alaska
Why it’s amazing: The unrelenting forces of erosion exposed these imposing granite pillars, which were formed by past volcanic activity. A 15-mile journey that offers sweeping views of the surrounding wilderness and up-close encounters with these striking rock formations is the Granite Tors Loop Trail.
Angel Rocks (Chena River State Recreation Area)
- Location: Near Fairbanks, Alaska
Why it’s amazing: When molten rock was forced upward and cooled close to the Earth’s surface, it created the impressive granite outcrops known as Angel Rocks. These magnificent pillars may be seen along the 3.5-mile Angel Rocks Trail, which also provides expansive vistas of the valley below.
Spire Cove (Kenai Fjords National Park)
- Location: Kenai Fjords National Park
Why it’s remarkable: Shaped by the brutal forces of wave erosion, these rocky, thin spires rise sharply from the ocean. The best way to explore Spire Cove is on a boat tour, which lets you take in the park’s striking rock formations and spectacular shoreline.
New Eddystone Rock (Behm Canal)
- Location: Behm Canal, Southeast Alaska
Why it’s noteworthy The tall basalt pillar known as New Eddystone Rock was formed by a volcanic plug that erupted more than 13,000 years ago.
The spire is an intriguing and unusual sight on the ocean since it rises more than 1,000 feet above the sea floor, with only the top visible above the water’s surface.
Cathedral Spires (Kichatna Mountains, Alaska Range)
- Location: Alaska Range
Why it’s noteworthy In the center of the Alaska Range, the Cathedral Spires are angular granite peaks that rise sharply. Climbers love these spires because of their distant, untamed beauty and sheer faces. In the woods, they produce a breathtaking, almost unearthly scene.
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Hoodoos of the Alaska Range
- Location: Alaska Range
Why it’s amazing: Differential erosion produces pillar-like rock formations called hoodoos. Hikers and photographers will love the bizarre scenery these tall towers in the Alaska Range provide. The surrounding wilderness and their distinctive features create a dramatic contrast to the nearby mountains.
Tracy Arm Fjord
- Location: Inside Passage, Southeast Alaska
Why it’s noteworthy Some of Alaska’s most striking cliffs, sculpted by glaciers throughout time, may be found in the Tracy Arm Fjord. Particularly whether viewed by boat or on a tour, the fjord’s majestic, cathedral-like ambiance created by its U-shaped valleys and tall granite walls provides for a unique experience.
Worthington Glacier Geologic Formations
- Location: Near Valdez, Alaska
Why it’s noteworthy Some of Alaska’s most striking glacially sculpted granite formations can be seen in the Worthington Glacier area. There are easily accessible hiking paths in the vicinity that offer views of the glacier and the surrounding rocky landscapes, allowing you to witness the influence of ice on the land’s formation.
Kenai Fjords National Park Cliffs and Arches
- Location: Kenai Fjords National Park
The reason it’s noteworthy: There are cliffs, arches, and spires composed of slate and granodiorite along the coastline of Kenai Fjords National Park. Tectonic forces, waves, and glaciers have molded these landforms over thousands of years. Along with providing breathtaking views, they also act as habitats for sea lions and seagulls.
Adam’s Inlet (Glacier Bay National Park)
- Location: Glacier Bay National Park
Adam’s Inlet is noteworthy because it displays the continuous geological processes of fast glacial retreat, exposing alluvial fans, steep slopes, and braided rivers. The region’s scenery is dynamic, ever-changing, and a living example of nature’s unadulterated force.
