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Many elements contribute to the shape of the environment around us, including the rock formations known as "Hoodoos". The National Park Service defines a hoodoo as "a pillar of rock, usually of fantastic shape, left by erosion". These hoodoos can be found in areas such as Bryce National Park in Utah, the Chiricahua National Monument in Arizona and at the Coyote Creek "Gooding City of Rocks" just North of Gooding, Idaho.
Hoodoos are stunningly beautiful, vertical standing rocks amass with hues ranging from subtle pinks to earthy browns. Precariously perched caps sit atop the hoodoos, defiantly protecting them against the elements. Erosion is responsible for the creation of these landmarks, and can be just as easily responsible for their destruction without protection.
The beginning of hoodoo formation took place during the Cretaceous Period with the repeated deposit and removal of sediments. These sediments continually built up, exceeding a thickness of thousands of feet. This was followed by the deposit of other sediments during the Tertiary Period which formed the reddish colored rock, which the hoodoos are etched from. Faults and joints inside the Earth are constantly moving, and resulted in the separation of these built up sediments. The soft limy composition of the hoodoos was further eroded leaving the structures we witness today. Even today, elements continually make changes in the structure of the hoodoos such as thawing and freezing. Without the protection of the caps the remaining soft underside of the hoodoos would have very little defense and would fall prey to erosion fairly quickly.
Paiute people who lived throughout the area of Bryce Canyon in early history explain the hoodoos as "legend people". The myth is as follows; "These people displeased the coyote because of their vain and lengthy attempts to beautify the city. So he turned them all to stone and afterwards threw the paint they were using in their faces", thus resulting in the varied colors visible throughout the hoodoos.
Chiricahua is the Apache word for "standing rocks" which accurately describes these stately giants. Many tourists flock to these locations to walk among their colorful geologic splendor. According to the National Park Service as many as 1.5 million people visit these scenic wonders at Bryce Canyon alone. "In all seasons fantastic shapes cast their spell to remind us of what we protect", written for the official web site for Bryce National Park and encompassing the reason behind appreciating our geologic history.
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