Toadstool Geologic Park is right up there with Carhenge in terms of being unique, although Toadstool is a natural phenomena. Located 20 miles from the campground, on "improved dirt road." (Whoever wrote their brochures has a real flair for spinning reality!) The directions continue, "Not built for highway speeds, the roads encourage you to slow down and enjoy the rural landscape. You should also avoid traveling on them during or immediately after rainfall."
Although this is not an "official" state of Nebraska geo-site, according to Albert Dickas, "101 American Geo-sites you've gotta see", because it has the word "Geologic" in it, we though Mr. Spock would enjoy seeing the attractions.
The first visitors here in the late 1800s must have felt they were traveling through a land of giant mushrooms. They fancifully labeled the jumble of sandstone slabs resting upon their clay pillars, toadstools. The name stuck.
Toadstools are created by the force of wind and water, eroding the soft clay faster than the hard sandstone rock that caps it. Erosion eventually collapses the giant toadstools while new ones are forming.
On the site of Toadstool Geologic Park is a sod house, reconstructed by the Nebraska National Forest. ( The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service owns the land and operates it with the state of Nebraska.)
Notice the living roof!
The sod "brick" show-up better in this picture.
After Mr. Spock saw the Toadstools he had to go lie down in the car while we proceeded on the trail through the formations.
Moon-like landscape.
Over time rushing water has cut away the under-side of this cliff. When the bank is undercut enough, the weight of the overhead mass breaks off in large chunks, crashing into the stream-bed.
We thought this little gathering of toadstools looked like their own "stonehenge".
Love those toadstools! Judy S.
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