Interesting Geography: Elephant Rocks around the World

Several well-known rock formations exist around the world which are said to resemble elephants. Today we’ll take a look at several examples.

Elephant Rocks

Below are a few of many formations which are referred to as “elephant rock” around the world. Although not a comprehensive list, the examples below are some of the more popular formations.

Elephant Rock of Italy

This formation next to State Road 134, just outside of Castelsardo in Sardina, Italy is said to have been formed by wind and rain. Also known as Sa Pedra Pertunta (the perforated rock), it includes a small chamber, known as a Domus de Janas. It is often cited as a suggested landmark for tourists to visit.

Elephant Rock of Nevada

In the Valley of Fire in Overton, Nevada, resides a natural formation which is said to resemble an elephant’s head and trunk. This elephant rock forms an archway made of red sandstone, and is one of the most photographed natural formations in Nevada.

Price Edward Island (Has Since Collapsed)

This natural formation of sandstone resembled an elephant wading in the water. Despite efforts to save the formation from erosion – including a $15,000 infusion of concrete – the “trunk” collapsed in 1999. It had been a major tourist attraction, having been featured on the cover of the region’s tourism guide.

Elephant Rock of Iceland

This elephant rock can be found on the Icelandic island of Heimaey. It resembles an elephant head and tusk which appears to be partially submerged in the water. The natural structure is believed to have been formed by the 660 foot volcano on the island.

Elephant Rock, Point Reyes, California

This photo was featured on Yahoo Travel in late 2014. This formation in Point Reyes National Seashore, just north of San Francisco, resembles an elephant wading in, or drinking, water.

Elephant Rock, New Zealand

The video above gives a great glimpse of Elephant Rock in New Zealand on the North Taranaki coast, near Tongaporutu. The large structure appears next to the Three Sisters rock formation. The area is only accessible at low tide, and also hosts a series of nearby caves.

Elephant Rock, Washington State

This video highlights Elephant Rock found on the Quinault Reservation in Washington State. As with many of the other formations featured here, this structure resembles an elephant wading in the water.

Elephant Rocks State Park, Missouri

Said to resemble a train of end-to-end circus elephants, the granite rocks at Elephant Rocks State Park in Missouri may not feature the uncanny resemblance to elephants as seen in the examples above, but they are impressive nonetheless. One of the largest boulders is nicknamed “Dumbo” and weighs 680 tons.

Bottom Line

There are numerous rock formations called “Elephant Rock” around the world, and the list above is only a small sample of the many that can be found around the globe.

Which formations do you think look most like elephants? Are there any other elephant rocks you think deserve to be highlighted here?