We used to jump off the rocks into the water at the entrance of Elephant Rock Park about 33 years ago when it was still allowed. A few years later, some kids went swimming in the back quarry and jumped off into the water into a nest of cottonmouths and all died. After that, they banned all swimming. Johnson Shut Ins has a nice cliff at the end we used to jump off but thats not allowed anymore either.
I live in the Southern Ozarks, the St. Francois Mountains are just north of me. When coming up US 67 just south of Fredericktown there is a big cut in the hills made for the highway a few years ago. The rocks are very interesting there,, maybe you could look at it sometime.
yeah, that fresh exposure you referring to is a beauty. look at the way the red granite fades to something black and more basaltic. just see that transition right there before you. look at how it blends. thats how granite is made as the magma intrudes into and through, in this case, the lamotte sandstone formation. in the broad morning light. not far south of 72 on the west side of the road. they made it wide enough to safely stop and take in the spectacle.
Oh my goodness I have to see those old rocks! So exciting. I'm a southwestern US girl. Nothing that old here, but we beat you in elevation that's for sure. I'm heading over there this fall. Thanks for the preview.
Yep highly recommended checking out some of the parks in southeast Missouri! These are just a few. Johnson’s shut ins is another really cool park in this area but I didn’t have time to show it
Kind of a more recent rock hound but trying to catch up ..... my brother is a geologist and you are still one of my # 1 sources. He says things like "That's Chert." a a whole lot. I used to live in Arcadia Valley in high school and I knew Elephant Rocks like the back of my hand. maybe I was destined to be a rockhound!!
On my fridge is a picture of me in a trench across the top of the Hughes Mountain outcrop, photographed so I look a bit like some giant rock gopher popping out. My brother sent it to family and friends as a New Year's card one year! Amazing place, Hughes Mountain. In addition to the much better-known Johnson Shut-Ins, there is also the pink granite Castor River Shut-Ins in Amidon Memorial Conservation Area, just east of Fredericktown, Missouri. Not a single person I knew in Madison County ever heard of those while I was growing up there, apparently because they were on private property then. Incidentally, alas, no trilobites 1.7 billion years ago. That's so early that eucaryotic cells -- cells like ours with nuclei, as opposed to simple bacteria -- were only beginning to emerge.
Such a beautiful area! Yeah I was off on my time scales sorry. I think I’ve been to Castor river a few years ago. I saw a cottonmouth snake! Also saw a rattlesnake at Johnson’s shut ins. Such an amazing wild area! Only time in my life I’ve seen those snakes.
@@dustinfindsrocksI never encountered any rattlesnakes growing up there, but copperheads were a dime a dozen, especially crossing gravel country roads in the evening, and, too often, in barns. Copperheads are a less deadly member of the rattlesnake family, and even though they don't have any rattles on their tails, I did have a huge one buzz its tail at me once here in Virginia. Cottonmouths are especially scary. There was a low water bridge in Bollinger County where lots of locals went swimming, and I would swim there sometimes when visiting my grandparents. I had the unique experience of watching a cottonmouth swim towards me with its mouth wide open, ready to bite. Unlike comparatively mild copperhead bites, water moccasin (cotton mouth) bites are every bit as dangerous as rattlesnake bites - which is to say, you can die or lose limbs from them. I was scared and surprised, but too young at the time to realize just how dangerous the situation had been. Still, kind of an interesting memory!
Very much enjoyed this video!!! Great upload! So fun to see and learn about different geological areas. Loved that waterfall. Those were some massssive boulders at Elephant Rock. Wow! All three parks were awesome. I didn't mind the wind noise. I hope to see more videos like this on your channel. Geo Rock Nerd would be proud! Rock on, Dustin 😁🤘
Thank you so much! Yeah I'm really happy with how it turned out. Since people are coming from out of state to Haunted Ridge I thought I should show off some of the nearby parks. There's other really great parks in the area too but I wanted to focus on the igneous rocks for this video.
Great video. I’m curious on how large the calderas were and where they are located. Check out Black Mountain Falls after a bit of rain, it’s a rough hike with no trail but I think it’s the coolest water feature in the state.
It’s just west of Fredericktown along highway E next to the St. Francis River. The waterfalls are awesome. If you hike to the top it’s about 1000’ in elevation gain in under a mile. Nearby is Lee Bluff which is at the end of Highway O on county road 425 (should be in google maps). It’s a 300 foot igneous bluff that overlooks Black Mountain and the river valley below.
Yeah no collecting in state parks but it's a yard rock anyway. LOL I'd rather leave it next to the trail where I found it for others to enjoy. I'll see it again it's my favorite trail in the state to hike. I'm not sure what happened with that first upload... that was weird. Thanks for the support! I'm really happy with how this video turned out.
the round rocks are premium and in shorter supply around the st francois mountains igneous exposures. you can get all manner of red to black granites from the fred weber quarry thats removing the east face of a mountain in middlebrook just north of ironton. they even sell tumble rounded 1000 pound boulders for 40 bucks each. but in the forest you can take up to 20 pounds of rocks with you each day.
Oh, wow! I like your regular videos, but this was something else. More please! Those were some really cool parks, and such a neat overview of geology. Loved the discussion of exhumed mountains. So many people don't seem to think they exist, so having a good example to demonstrate is excellent.
Thank you! Yes these are super cool formations! I have plans in the future for some similar videos. I really hope they let me film Onandaga cave... That'll be cool!
I am curious if these formation would have brought gemstones with them? I goto the diamond mine in Arkansas often. There was a story in the early 1900's of someone finding a 20 Ct diamond in SE Missouri by the AR border but no one knows if it was dropped there along the trail of tears or if it was naturally there. What are the chances of gemstones in Mo?
Those parks are so beautiful. Guessing the random socks had to do with the falls? 😂 I will add these parks to my list when I’m able to hit up Missouri in the future. Thanks for sharing this awesome video.. 🤘👊 Rock On
Yeah I guess but I find so many socks and shoes random places lol! All these parks are less than an hour drive from Haunted Ridge. I'm glad you enjoyed it, I'm really happy with how this one turned out. Rock on brotha!
Hello from Ohio. GutNTog just posted Basalt columns in Iceland. They are much larger, but it's good to see we have something similar in this country. TFS.
Great video. I was just trying to decide whether to take my family to MO for a trip so that I could visit Haunted Ridge Rocks, but I’m the only rock hound in the family so they would need something else to do while in the area. Can you also suggest other places to visit? My family aren’t big hikers. Would love to discuss with you, too.
They could go for a float trip there's lot's of good river's nearby. Also lots of places for fishing. St. Louis city is about 90 minutes drive north if you want to do things there. There's so many beautiful rocks everywhere at Haunted Ridge though they may become rockhounds! lol
We have a Sauk Mountain near our hometown in WA. A Sauk River too. This was an excellent video. Missouri is definitely on our radar during our travels. Those rhyolite columns were super interesting.
What I like most about these parks is they allow/encourage people to play on the rocks/boulders. You don't see that anymore...well, you might still see that in the desert. lol ;0)
i so enjoy your videos Dustin!! Missouri is awesome! however, the supposed ages of the Earth are wrong on so many levels, i was taught, as you were, that the Earth is billions of years old, but for many reasons, that is not possible, i would like to share what i have learned with you, and probably, once you see, it will amaze you what has been kept from you.
Would have appreciated you commenting to respect our parks and not damage the rocks with carving, littering, harming wildlife (including plants) and not to take things from the parks.
You found so many socks at Mina Sauk's 😝 Thanks for making this, it was relaxing. The formations at the end looked like a tiny city! Very cool
We used to jump off the rocks into the water at the entrance of Elephant Rock Park about 33 years ago when it was still allowed. A few years later, some kids went swimming in the back quarry and jumped off into the water into a nest of cottonmouths and all died. After that, they banned all swimming. Johnson Shut Ins has a nice cliff at the end we used to jump off but thats not allowed anymore either.
Lawsuits ruin everything 🤷🏻♂️ you gotta be safe. Love this whole area. It’s so beautiful
I live in the Southern Ozarks, the St. Francois Mountains are just north of me. When coming up US 67 just south of Fredericktown there is a big cut in the hills made for the highway a few years ago. The rocks are very interesting there,, maybe you could look at it sometime.
Love that area and I believe I know the road cut your talking about. I think it’s granite or rhyolite
I grew up on the Current River, I was always binging home rocks to look at. My three boys did to.@@dustinfindsrocks
yeah, that fresh exposure you referring to is a beauty. look at the way the red granite fades to something black and more basaltic. just see that transition right there before you. look at how it blends. thats how granite is made as the magma intrudes into and through, in this case, the lamotte sandstone formation. in the broad morning light. not far south of 72 on the west side of the road. they made it wide enough to safely stop and take in the spectacle.
Love the rocks.
Oh my goodness I have to see those old rocks! So exciting. I'm a southwestern US girl. Nothing that old here, but we beat you in elevation that's for sure. I'm heading over there this fall. Thanks for the preview.
Yep highly recommended checking out some of the parks in southeast Missouri! These are just a few. Johnson’s shut ins is another really cool park in this area but I didn’t have time to show it
bautiful place,,
I used to live not far from these places. My favorite area of the state
My favorite part of the state also
The rock scar at Johnson Shut-ins from when the dam burst that left the bedrock exposed would be right up your alley
I've checked it out before. I didn't find a whole lot but then again I didn't look very much... the ticks found me! LOL
Kind of a more recent rock hound but trying to catch up ..... my brother is a geologist and you are still one of my # 1 sources. He says things like "That's Chert." a a whole lot. I used to live in Arcadia Valley in high school and I knew Elephant Rocks like the back of my hand. maybe I was destined to be a rockhound!!
Such a cool area! Probably my favorite place in Missouri
This brought me back to some of my MO hiking days. Another great hiking park down there is Hawn state park. Check it out sometime!
Oh yes Hawn park is fantastic so is Pickle springs. It's another really beautiful area and also fairly close.
On my fridge is a picture of me in a trench across the top of the Hughes Mountain outcrop, photographed so I look a bit like some giant rock gopher popping out. My brother sent it to family and friends as a New Year's card one year! Amazing place, Hughes Mountain. In addition to the much better-known Johnson Shut-Ins, there is also the pink granite Castor River Shut-Ins in Amidon Memorial Conservation Area, just east of Fredericktown, Missouri. Not a single person I knew in Madison County ever heard of those while I was growing up there, apparently because they were on private property then.
Incidentally, alas, no trilobites 1.7 billion years ago. That's so early that eucaryotic cells -- cells like ours with nuclei, as opposed to simple bacteria -- were only beginning to emerge.
Such a beautiful area! Yeah I was off on my time scales sorry. I think I’ve been to Castor river a few years ago. I saw a cottonmouth snake! Also saw a rattlesnake at Johnson’s shut ins. Such an amazing wild area! Only time in my life I’ve seen those snakes.
@@dustinfindsrocksI never encountered any rattlesnakes growing up there, but copperheads were a dime a dozen, especially crossing gravel country roads in the evening, and, too often, in barns.
Copperheads are a less deadly member of the rattlesnake family, and even though they don't have any rattles on their tails, I did have a huge one buzz its tail at me once here in Virginia.
Cottonmouths are especially scary. There was a low water bridge in Bollinger County where lots of locals went swimming, and I would swim there sometimes when visiting my grandparents. I had the unique experience of watching a cottonmouth swim towards me with its mouth wide open, ready to bite.
Unlike comparatively mild copperhead bites, water moccasin (cotton mouth) bites are every bit as dangerous as rattlesnake bites - which is to say, you can die or lose limbs from them. I was scared and surprised, but too young at the time to realize just how dangerous the situation had been. Still, kind of an interesting memory!
Awesome thank you
Amazing video!!
Thank you for sharing, full support from us to you!!
Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you!
Very much enjoyed this video!!! Great upload! So fun to see and learn about different geological areas. Loved that waterfall. Those were some massssive boulders at Elephant Rock. Wow! All three parks were awesome. I didn't mind the wind noise. I hope to see more videos like this on your channel. Geo Rock Nerd would be proud! Rock on, Dustin 😁🤘
Thank you so much! Yeah I'm really happy with how it turned out. Since people are coming from out of state to Haunted Ridge I thought I should show off some of the nearby parks. There's other really great parks in the area too but I wanted to focus on the igneous rocks for this video.
Great video. I’m curious on how large the calderas were and where they are located. Check out Black Mountain Falls after a bit of rain, it’s a rough hike with no trail but I think it’s the coolest water feature in the state.
I haven’t heard of black mountain where is it?
It’s just west of Fredericktown along highway E next to the St. Francis River. The waterfalls are awesome. If you hike to the top it’s about 1000’ in elevation gain in under a mile. Nearby is Lee Bluff which is at the end of Highway O on county road 425 (should be in google maps). It’s a 300 foot igneous bluff that overlooks Black Mountain and the river valley below.
@@mozark.hiker_ awesome! Thank you. We will definitely have to check that out sometime!
Beautiful and unique!!!! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you
Still 1st! That was a great video! I am guessing it would not be OK to carry out a 30 lb piece of that Rhyolite????
Yeah no collecting in state parks but it's a yard rock anyway. LOL I'd rather leave it next to the trail where I found it for others to enjoy. I'll see it again it's my favorite trail in the state to hike. I'm not sure what happened with that first upload... that was weird. Thanks for the support! I'm really happy with how this video turned out.
the round rocks are premium and in shorter supply around the st francois mountains igneous exposures. you can get all manner of red to black granites from the fred weber quarry thats removing the east face of a mountain in middlebrook just north of ironton. they even sell tumble rounded 1000 pound boulders for 40 bucks each. but in the forest you can take up to 20 pounds of rocks with you each day.
Beautiful. I lived in Missouri when I was a kid. I've always thought it to be a lovely state. Thank you for sharing.
It really is a beautiful state. Especially in places with unique geology and water, plenty of both here!
Oh, wow! I like your regular videos, but this was something else. More please! Those were some really cool parks, and such a neat overview of geology.
Loved the discussion of exhumed mountains. So many people don't seem to think they exist, so having a good example to demonstrate is excellent.
Thank you! Yes these are super cool formations! I have plans in the future for some similar videos. I really hope they let me film Onandaga cave... That'll be cool!
@@dustinfindsrocks Ooh! Yes! Here's hoping, truly. 😁
I am curious if these formation would have brought gemstones with them? I goto the diamond mine in Arkansas often. There was a story in the early 1900's of someone finding a 20 Ct diamond in SE Missouri by the AR border but no one knows if it was dropped there along the trail of tears or if it was naturally there. What are the chances of gemstones in Mo?
All the socks because of "Sauk"? Just a guess, but why not. Nice tour, that was fun.
I find socks and shoes like this randomly at so many places LOL
@@dustinfindsrocks Some people are just born lucky, I guess.
Those parks are so beautiful. Guessing the random socks had to do with the falls? 😂 I will add these parks to my list when I’m able to hit up Missouri in the future. Thanks for sharing this awesome video.. 🤘👊 Rock On
Yeah I guess but I find so many socks and shoes random places lol! All these parks are less than an hour drive from Haunted Ridge. I'm glad you enjoyed it, I'm really happy with how this one turned out. Rock on brotha!
Hello from Ohio. GutNTog just posted Basalt columns in Iceland. They are much larger, but it's good to see we have something similar in this country. TFS.
Yeah they're rhyolite but it's cool right? Who knew we had stuff like this in the middle of the USA?!
Great video. I was just trying to decide whether to take my family to MO for a trip so that I could visit Haunted Ridge Rocks, but I’m the only rock hound in the family so they would need something else to do while in the area. Can you also suggest other places to visit? My family aren’t big hikers. Would love to discuss with you, too.
They could go for a float trip there's lot's of good river's nearby. Also lots of places for fishing. St. Louis city is about 90 minutes drive north if you want to do things there. There's so many beautiful rocks everywhere at Haunted Ridge though they may become rockhounds! lol
Wheres my fellow camden county ground goblins?
We have a Sauk Mountain near our hometown in WA. A Sauk River too. This was an excellent video. Missouri is definitely on our radar during our travels. Those rhyolite columns were super interesting.
Definitely worth seeing when you’re here. It’s pretty close to Haunted Ridge
What I like most about these parks is they allow/encourage people to play on the rocks/boulders. You don't see that anymore...well, you might still see that in the desert. lol ;0)
Yeah the glades are like the desert... When I was little I lived in Missouri and there were little fluffy clouds... LOL
The park allows kids to bring their motorized remote control cars to climb the rocks, too.
Fantastic!
i so enjoy your videos Dustin!! Missouri is awesome! however, the supposed ages of the Earth are wrong on so many levels, i was taught, as you were, that the Earth is billions of years old, but for many reasons, that is not possible, i would like to share what i have learned with you, and probably, once you see, it will amaze you what has been kept from you.
Would have appreciated you commenting to respect our parks and not damage the rocks with carving, littering, harming wildlife (including plants) and not to take things from the parks.
I will make sure to include that message in the future on more videos
@@dustinfindsrocks Thank you.