Mysterious Moving Rocks
Death Valley National Park, California
In Death Valley there's a playa (a dried mudflat) two miles long named "The Racetrack." Rocks tumble onto its south end from adjacent mountains, settle into position, and then move by themselves across the table-top terrain, leaving visible trails in the dried mud. Scientists claim that the rocks are moved by hurricane-force winds that sometimes sweep the playa after a rare rainfall -- but no one has ever seen this happen. Some of these rocks weigh hundreds of pounds and move hundreds of feet, often taking sharp turns, leaving their tattletale trails as evidence.
We think that Mineral Intellect is an area that deserves more scientific scrutiny. And if the rocks really aren't that smart, maybe it's Spook Lights taunting them to move….
Also see: Mysterious Ringing Rocks
Mysterious Moving Rocks
- Address:
- Death Valley National Park, CA [Show Map]
- Directions:
- Take Hwy 190 into Death Valley National Park. At the intersection of Hwy 190 and North Hwy, turn north (onto North Hwy) for a little over 33 miles. Turn left onto Racetrack Valley Rd and stay on it for 31 miles to the Racetrack, which will be on the left. The rocks are two miles down the road, at the south end. Racetrack Valley Rd is unpaved, and prone to bumpy spots and to washouts in wet weather, so drive slowly and carefully.
Nearby Offbeat Places
- Scotty's Castle, Death Valley, CA - 28 mi.
- Last Supper and Giant Pink Woman, Rhyolite - Beatty, NV - 44 mi.
- Yucca Mountain Information Center, Beatty, NV - 47 mi.
- In the region: Stealth Car, Pearsonville - Inyokern, CA - 61 mi.
