How Hoodoos Stand So Tall

A hoodoo is a tall rock spire formed by erosion. They are found mainly in dry, hot areas.

The name comes from the Southern Paiute word oo’doo, meaning something that inspires fear. Not related to Hoodoo spirituality.

Each hoodoo column has softer stone beneath harder protective caprock.

In Drumheller, Alberta, clay and sand deposited 70 million years ago form hoodoos.

Frost wedging drives erosion at Bryce Canyon. Meltwater seeps into cracks, freezes, and expands by almost ten percent.

In Cappadocia, Turkey, people carved houses into hoodoos. The banknote omits the dust.

At Đavolja Varoš in Serbia, about 200 earth pyramids rise. The state has protected the site since 1959.

Rainwater is slightly acidic, dissolving limestone grain by grain. Magnesium-rich dolomite caps dissolve much slower, shielding weaker stone beneath.