List of rock formations
A rock formation is an isolated, scenic, or spectacular surface rock outcrop. Rock formations are usually the result of weathering and erosion sculpting the existing rock. The term rock formation can also refer to specific sedimentary strata or other rock unit in stratigraphic and petrologic studies.
A rock structure can be created in any rock type or combination:
- Igneous rocks are created when molten rock cools and solidifies, with or without crystallisation. They may be either plutonic bodies or volcanic extrusive. Again, erosive forces sculpt their current forms.
- Metamorphic rocks are created by rocks that have been transformed into another kind of rock, usually by some combination of heat, pressure, and chemical alteration.
- Sedimentary rocks are created by a variety of processes but usually involving deposition, grain by grain, layer by layer, in water or, in the case of terrestrial sediments, on land through the action of wind or sometimes moving ice. Erosion later exposes them in their current form.
- Butte
- Cliff
- Cut bank
- Escarpment
- Gorge
- Inselberg, or monadnock
- Mesa
- Peak
- Promontory
- River cliff
- Sea cliff
- Stack
- Stone run
- Tor
Asia
Armenia
- Geghard
- Garni Gorge
- Goris
- Khndzoresk
China
- Yunmeng Mountain National Forest Park, Beijing
- Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
- Huangshan, Anhui Province
- Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area, Zhangjiajie, Hunan
Hong Kong
- Amah Rock, New Territories
- Lion Rock, New Kowloon/New Territories
Jordan
- Petra, Amman
- Wadi Rum Desert
India
- Jabalpur Marble Rocks, Madhya Pradesh
- Rock Formations in Rayalseema Andhra Pradesh, Hampi Karnataka
- Yana
Israel
- Rosh Hanikra
- Timna Arch, Eilat
- Karnei Hattin
Lebanon
- Cape Lithoprosopon
- Raouché, Beirut
Mongolia
- Turtle Rock, Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, Töv Aimag/Nalaikh
Pakistan
- Rock formations at Hingol National Park
Thailand
- Lalu, rock formations caused by erosion at the eastern end of the Sankamphaeng Range in Sa Kaeo Province
- Phae Mueang Phi near Phrae in the Phi Pan Nam Range
- Phu Phra Bat Buabok in Udon Thani Province
Turkey
- Paşabağı, Cappadocia
- Goreme National Park
Other countries
- Gobustan National Park, Azerbaijan
- Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, Mon State, Burma
- Aphrodite's Rock, Paphos, Cyprus
- Tanah Lot, Bali, Indonesia
- Jeti-Ögüz, Jeti-Ögüz district, Kyrgyzstan
- Tanjong Bunga, Penang, Malaysia
- Al Naslaa rock formation, Saudi Arabia
- Long Ya Men, Singapore
- Seorak-san National Park, Sokcho, South Korea
- Yehliu, Taiwan
- Halong Bay, Vietnam
Africa
Kenya
- Tsavo Rocks
Libya
- Jebel Akhdar
Madagascar
- Andringitra Massif
- Tsingy d'Ankarana
- Tsingy de Bemaraha
- Tsingy de Namoroka
- Tsingy Rouge
Mauritania
- Ben Amera
Namibia
- Bogenfels
Nigeria
- Olumo Rock, Abeokuta
- Riyom Rock, Jos
- Zuma Rock, Abuja
South Africa
- Cedarberg Wilderness Area, Western Cape
- Kagga Kamma, Ceres, Western Cape
- Three Sisters
North America
United States
Canada
- Devil's Chair, Lake Superior Provincial Park, Ontario
- Flowerpot Island, Georgian Bay, Ontario
- Sleeping Giant, Ontario
- Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick
- Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick
- Gabriola Island, British Columbia
- Brady's Beach, Bamfield, British Columbia
- Chimney Rock, Marble Canyon, British Columbia
- Heron Rocks, Hornby Island, British Columbia
- Siwash Rock, Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia
- Percé Rock, Gaspé, Quebec
- Tete d'Indien, Perce, Gaspé, Quebec
- Balancing Rock, Long Island, Nova Scotia
- Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia
- Banff National Park, Alberta
- Big Rock, Okotoks, Alberta
- Drumheller, Alberta
- Walsh, Alberta, see Medicine Hat, Alberta
- Main Topsail Hill, near Gaff Topsails, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Arches, St. Anthony, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Elephant Rock, Prince Edward Island
- Giant's Chair, Howard's Cove, Prince Edward Island
- Victoria Rock, Yukon
Caribbean
- Ayo Rock Formations, Aruba
- Devil's Trail, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
- The Baths, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
- Coki Beach, St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands
- Pointe des Châteaux, Grande Terre, Guadeloupe
- Diamond Rock, Martinique
Mexico
- Sierra de Organos National Park, Sombrerete, Zacatecas
- Piedras Encimadas Valley, Zacatlán, Puebla
- Peña de Bernal, Bernal, Querétaro
- Copper Canyon, Chihuahua
- Los Arcos Rocks, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
- Hierve el Agua, San Lorenzo Albarradas
Central America
- Bosque del Cabo, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
- Los Ladrillos, Boquete, Panama
South America
Argentina
- Quebrada de Humahuaca, Humahuaca
- Ongamira Valley, Córdoba
- Ischigualasto, San Juan Province
- Monte Fitz Roy, El Chalten
Bolivia
- Dali's Desert, Potosi
- Valle de Las Rocas, Uyuni
- Canon de Duene
Brazil
- Pão de Açúcar, Rio de Janeiro
- Ponta Grossa, Paraná
- Pedra do Jacaré, São Paulo
- Dedo de Deus, Serra dos Órgãos, Rio de Janeiro
- Pedra do Cão Sentado, Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro
- Pedra da Galinha Choca, Quixadá, Ceará
Chile
- Valle de la Luna, Antofagasta
- Playa de la Calabocillos, Constitucion
- Silla del Diablo
Colombia
- El Peñón de Guatapé, Antioquia
- Laguna de La Plaza, Sierra Nevada del Cocuy
Ecuador
- Cerro de Arcos, Loja
- Pinnacle Rock, Bartolome Island, Galápagos Islands
Falkland Islands
- Princes Street Stone Run
Paraguay
- Amambay
Peru
- Colca Canyon, Arequipa
Uruguay
- Sierra de Mahoma, San José
- Cerro Arequita, Lavalleja
Venezuela
- Tepui, Roraima, Canaima National Park
- Piedras de San Martin, La Vela de Coro, Estado Falcón
Europe
Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Hajdučka vrata, Čvrsnica mountain
Bulgaria
- Basarbovo Monastery, Rousse
- Belogradchik Rocks
- Iskar Gorge, Sofia
- Melnik Earth Pyramids, Melnik
- Sozopol
- Wonderful Bridges
- Golden Bridges, Vitosha
- Golyamata Gramada, Vitosha
- Pobiti Kamani
Croatia
- Paklenica
- Bijele stijene and Samarske stijene, Velika Kapela mountain
Czech Republic
- Teplice nad Metují
- Medvědí Stezka, Šumava mountains, Klatovy
- Vraní skála, Brdy
- Suché skály, Turnov
- Hruboskalsko
Denmark
- Bornholm
- Fur Formation
- Møns Klint, Møn
- Gedser Odde, Gedser
- Stevns Klint, Eastern Zealand
- Cliffs of Sangstrup, Djursland
Estonia
- Vormsi island
Finland
- Närpes
- Naantali
France
- Roussillon, Vaucluse
- Lesconil, Brittany
- Les Calanche, Corsica
- Rocher des Doms, Avignon
- Étretat, Normandy
- Cassis, near Marseille, Provence
Georgia
- Katskhi Pillar
Germany
- List of rock formations in the Harz
- Battert Rocks, Baden-Baden, Black Forest
- Externsteine
- Falkenfelsen
- Lange Anna, Heligoland
- Rotenfels, Nahe, Bad Münster am Stein-Ebernburg, Rhineland-Palatinate
- Teufelsturm, Elbe Sandstone Mountains
- Wasgau
Greece
- Meteora
- Monemvasia
- Samaria Gorge, Crete
- Sarti, Sithonia
Gibraltar
- Rock of Gibraltar
Bailiwick of Guernsey
- Les Autelets, Sark, Channel Islands
- Telegraph Bay, Alderney, Channel Islands
Iceland
- Vestmannaeyjar
- Jokulsa Canyon National Park, Mývatn
- Dimmuborgir, Mývatn
- Dyrhólaey
- Eystrahorn, Hvalnes
Ireland
- Beara Peninsula, Bantry, County Cork
- Skellig Rocks, Iveragh Peninsula, County Kerry
- Gap of Dunloe, Killarney, County Kerry
- Tory Island, County Donegal
- Achill Island, County Mayo
- Answering Stone, County Waterford
Italy
- Il Gargano, Vieste, Apulia
- Palmarola, Sicily
- Pietra di Bismantova, Reggiano Apennines
- Valle Seriana, Bergamo, Lombardy
- Golfo di Orosei, Cala Luna, Monte Tiscali, Sardinia
- Tarpeian Rock
- The thrown stones, Lazio
Latvia
- Vidzeme
- Pusena Kalns, Bartava
North Macedonia
- Stone town of Kuklica
- Markovi Kuli
Malta
- Dwerja, Gozo
- Dingli Cliffs, Dingli
- Malta Escarpment
Isle of Man
- Glen Maye, Isle of Man
Norway
- Skude, Beiningen, Haugaland
- Geirangerfjord
- Preikestolen
- Kjerag
- Troll Wall
- Nigardsbreen, part of the larger glacier Jostedalsbreen
- Sommarøy, Tromsø
- Jutulhogget
- Trolltunga
Poland
- Cudgel of Hercules – monadrock in Ojców National Park
- Mnich
- Słoneczna
- Kościeliska Valley, Western Tatras
- Dunajec River Gorge, Zakopane
Portugal
- Ponta da Piedade, Lagos, Algarve
- Albufeira
- Porto Moniz, Madeira
- Ponta de Sao Lourenco, Madeira
Romania
- Apuseni Mountains: Detunatele
- Bucegi Mountains: Babele, The Sphinx
- Ciucaș Mountains: Porumbelul Bratocei, Colții Bratocei, Turnul Goliat, Babele la sfat, etc.
- Făgăraş Mountains: Fereastra zmeilor
- Hășmaș Mountains: Piatra singuratică
- Piatra Craiului Mountains: La zaplaz, Cerdacul Stanciului, Turnul/Degetul lui Anghelide
- Gorges: Bicaz Gorge, Turda Gorge, Danube's Iron Gate, Cheile Dobrogei, Cheile Sohodolului, Cheile Doftanei
- Piatra Secuiului in Alba County
- Piatra Verde and the Salt Mountain in Slănic
- Râpa Roșie