In fall 2016, Matt and I took off to Colorado for about a week to celebrate his 26th birthday! We loaded up the 4runner, ready for some car camping and made our way to Colorado. The best thing about road trips are the fun, and often spontaneous, stops that you get to make along the way. The stop we made on the way out for this trip was Monument Rocks (also known as Chalk Pyramids) in the middle of Kansas!
I ran across information on this site while trying to find some more exciting things to see in Kansas instead of just passing through. During this search I saw Monument Rocks pop up over and over. I looked it up on Wikipedia and discovered that it was actually a National Monument. That was all I needed to know, personally, so we found it on Google Maps and made our way there.
Arriving just before sunrise we were able to the incredible show that the sky was putting on – the rocks are definitely monumental and just seem both out of place and a bit eerie popping up in the middle of the typical, flat cattle-land. We learned upon arriving and reading the sign there that these beautiful rocks are actually on private land and visitors are welcome from sun up to sun down, but camping is not allowed.
It was incredible to get to be at such a beautiful location and be totally and completely alone. We got to explore at our leisure. Although this isn’t a massive site, it is by far the coolest thing I’ve seen while in Kansas.
When I say it’s in the a cattle field I’m not being sarcastic. I took this picture standing in front of Monument Rocks but facing away from them.
All of the Monument Rocks from a distance. I just love nature!
Adventures with Matt are my favorite! Xx
Not only are they impressive from a distance, but getting up close adds to a totally different appeal to them. These Monument Rocks were formed by an ancient ocean that used to cover the plains. Therefore, these massive rocks are filled with fossils from that ancient ocean. How cool is that?!
How to Get To Monument Rocks:
They’re near Oakley, KS, but for precise directions just plug your current location into the map below!
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Monument Rocks is definitely a beautiful spot. I highly recommend checking out their Facebook page for current information and rule changes. After visiting, I learned more from this page and it would have helped plan this stop.
Because road trips can be long, especially through states that are notorious for being “monotonous”, it’s nice to have legitimately awesome stops to break up the trip!
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28 Comments
hmunro
November 1, 2016 at 9:14 amWhat gorgeous images you’ve captured! I’m not likely to see this beautiful landscape anytime soon, but thanks to you I do feel as if I’ve been there.
Paige Wunder
November 5, 2016 at 12:46 pmThank you so much! I think you’d enjoy it very much if + when you get to go there! Cheers!
Dale
November 1, 2016 at 9:43 amAfter all of my time in Kansas over the years, I was not aware of Monument Rocks. Thanks for sharing!
Paige Wunder
November 5, 2016 at 12:47 pmWe’ll all have to go soon and even take Oma with us. There are apparently a few sections of them in Kansas – I’d love to see more!
Debbie de Juan nee Keating
November 1, 2016 at 4:46 pmOutstanding!
Paige Wunder
November 5, 2016 at 12:50 pmThank you so much!
FablesandCoffee
November 1, 2016 at 5:58 pmLovely photographs! Im already putting these on my must see list when I pass through here again 🙂
Paige Wunder
November 5, 2016 at 1:20 pmThank you so much! I really loved the formations. There’s a larger grouping of them, apparently, but they’re in the process of turning it into a state park that will be open next year! I can’t wait to go there.
Megan Indoe
November 2, 2016 at 11:33 amThat looks like such a magical experience! We want to do some road tripping throughout the US and I think this will have to be a place we stop at when we go. I agree, that some of the best parts of doing a road trip would be the spontaneous stops you make along the way! Breathtaking photos!
Paige Wunder
November 6, 2016 at 9:31 amThanks, Megan. We love taking road trips and we’re talking about heading out west with no end date in mind after we get back from our big Asia trip. It’s still a ways off, but we love day-dreaming about it!
What's Katie Doing?
November 2, 2016 at 1:34 pmSo magical being there for the sunrise! You got some great shots of the rock formations!
Paige Wunder
November 6, 2016 at 11:07 amThank you so much! I love getting to see places at sunrise and sunset!
ANne
November 2, 2016 at 3:43 pmThese look truly stunning. Very beautiful at sunset and remind me of monument valley
Paige Wunder
November 6, 2016 at 11:09 amI think seeing things at sunrise and even sunset are the best! I can see the comparison to Monument Valley. I just love crazy rock formations!
carmyy
November 2, 2016 at 4:10 pmIt looks like such an amazing spot! How long does it take to fully explore it all? Was it chilly (the blanket photo)?
Paige Wunder
November 6, 2016 at 11:11 amIt took about 20 minutes to walk around the whole thing. There’s another area that is supposed to open next year and I can’t wait to explore those! It was chilly. It was just before sunrise in late September, which is usually chilly here.
Pinay Flying High
November 2, 2016 at 4:14 pmIt looks like a setting for Star Wars movie. Lol. Did you have it yourself? I can’t see anyone else in the photos, lucky you if that’s the case. 🙂
Paige Wunder
November 2, 2016 at 11:08 pmIt does look like Star Wars, doesn’t it!? We were all alone. It was amazing. I’ve never been to such a cool place all alone before.
eatlivetraveldrink
November 2, 2016 at 5:47 pmI have literally never wanted to go somewhere more in my life than I do right now. Holy Kansas, Batman! I had to triple check that this was actually in Kansas and not Arizona or Nevada. Great photos btw!
Paige Wunder
November 2, 2016 at 11:08 pmHaha! I’m glad I could help you out! It does look like the southwest doesn’t it?! I’ve read that it’s sort-of an extension of the Badlands in South Dakota. Apparently there’s a larger grouping of them that they’re in the process of creating a State Park out of – I can’t wait to see those!
Eric
November 3, 2016 at 1:33 amLOL it looks like the rocks are all waving to each other! This place seems like a great place to unwind and clean your mind. Seems very peaceful. Love your photos too!
Paige Wunder
November 6, 2016 at 11:12 amIt does sort-of look like they’re waving – I hadn’t thought of that. It was very peaceful, especially since we were the only ones there.
Aparna
November 3, 2016 at 8:19 amWow, this looks absolutely incredible! The place seems soo powerful too – were there a lot of people around? Also, LOVE that blanket!
Paige Wunder
November 6, 2016 at 11:13 amIt was VERY incredible and we were actually the only ones there the whole time we were there. And thank you, I actually made that blanket!
Ivy
November 3, 2016 at 11:08 amAww you two are just the cutest! The rock formations look amazing, especially with those colours in the sky. Were there other people around? Looks like you guys were the only one there!
Paige Wunder
November 6, 2016 at 11:23 amAwe, thank you so much! We were the only ones there, which made for an even more memorable experience! I highly recommend a stop here.
Jo
November 3, 2016 at 11:29 amWow I would be so psyched to be road tripping around the states – can’t believe it can be monotonous for me – I mean ofcourse I would be stopping everywhere lol. Btw ,that pic of you and Matt snuggled up in a blanket looking at the rocks is soooo romantic 🙂
Paige Wunder
November 6, 2016 at 11:24 amAwe, thank you so much, Jo! I love getting to road trip all around the U.S. There are definitely stretches of states that are infamously long and boring and Kansas is usually thought of as one of them, but I’m so glad I discovered these gorgeous tock formations because they’re so amazing!