Sailing Stones

Sailing stones are part of the geological phenomenon in which rocks move and inscribe long tracks along a smooth valley floor without animal intervention. The movement of the rocks occurs when large, thin sheets of ice floating on an ephemeral winter pond move and break up due to wind. Trails of sliding rocks have been observed and studied in various locations, including Little Bonnie Claire Playa, in Nevada, and most famously at Racetrack Playa, Death Valley National Park, California, where the number and length of tracks are notable.

Back to Unexplained Phenomena →

Source: Wikipedia · Image: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

MOSTLYODD

The curious and the unexplained — strange history, famous hoaxes, bizarre disappearances, and the odd corners of science and the natural world.

Get new guides by emailOccasional emails. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

InformationAbout Contact Privacy Policy Terms of Service Disclaimer Affiliate Disclosure Cookie Policy

Every museum image, fact, and figure is drawn from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, used under public-domain and Creative Commons licenses. No content is AI-generated.