Giant Rock is north of Yucca Valley near Landers in California's Mojave Desert. According to Wikipedia it is the largest free standing boulder in the world. Pretty impressive, don't you think? And as if that's not enough, Giant Rock was a major gathering point for UFO believers in the '50s and '60s. It's got a fascinating history. George Van Tassel, a purported flying saucer "contactee" and author of I Rode a Flying Saucer, built the nearby Integreton and organized annual UFO conventions at Giant Rock. A single large room, which was subsequently filled in, was dug beneath the rock and resided in by a prospector named Frank Critzer during the 1930s and early 1940s. Critzer, a friend of Van Tassel, perished in a self-detonated dynamite explosion in this room on July 24, 1942, while being investigated by local police (you can't make this stuff up!!).
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| George Van Tassel's book cover, with a picture of Giant Rock with an antenna on top to help attract alien spacecraft, published in 1952. |
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| A large piece of Giant Rock split off in February 2000. |
Well worth a trip out to Landers to see the worlds largest bolder! Thanks for stopping by.
Linking with ABC Wednesday. G is for "Giant!"
Linking with ABC Wednesday. G is for "Giant!"
It's quite striking, particularly amongst the flatter surrounds.
ReplyDeleteNow that is one big rock. Like to see someone pick that up and throw it.
ReplyDeleteIncredible rock with equally incredulous story there. Nice reportage.
ReplyDeleteI've had this on my list of things to see but for some reason or another I have yet to make the trek.
ReplyDeleteWow - that is amazing. I can almost feel the energy of the rock. It makes some of those boulders between El Centro and San Diego look quite small. Thanks for sharing - I'd love to see it some time.
ReplyDeleteWow! An amazing size especially with your granddaughter near it. Fabulous shots!!
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing! I'd never heard of it before. Thanks for taking us there to see it!
ReplyDeleteI love this giant rock, pretty pictures, stunning!!
ReplyDeletethe world is a huge place for that tiny girl. :)
ReplyDeleteI like those stationary rocks!
ReplyDeleteROG, ABCW
WOW!
ReplyDeleteABC WEDNESDAY
What a fantastic rock! In fact,, collection of rocks. I would love to see these and photograph them too.... instead I will enjoy yours:) It is great seeing it against a tiny little girl...I also like the one where it is split off. Most impressive collection!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I'd really like to see it for real. Your granddaughter looks in real danger if someone just gave that boulder a shove!
ReplyDeleteWhoaw! I noticed a friend on FB posting photos of a rock like this one recently. I checked and yes, it's Giant Rock.
ReplyDeletewonderful photos! I love the sense of scale.
ReplyDeleteThat`s indeed a giant rock :))
ReplyDeleteA ultra-wide angle lens will be very cool for these rocks. There must be Aliens !
ReplyDeleteI love stories like this. Back in the 1980's I went on a mission with an engineering company across the Mojave scouting a pipeline route from near Needles to Bakersfield. I saw all sorts of strange manmade stuff out in the middle of nowhere. I'd love to see this rock.
ReplyDeleteWhoa! That is gigantic!
ReplyDeleteWell framed with the kid included.
Happy ABCW!
Giant for sure, and awesome!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you added people to the photos so we can see the perspective of its size. UFOs could hide under that thing!
ReplyDeleteLeslie
abcw team
that's definitely a GIANT boulder! what a teeny sweetheart standing near it. was she scared?
ReplyDeleteFascinating background! Thanks for dropping by my blog!
ReplyDeleteIn your second shot it kind of resembles a fish!
ReplyDeleteWow - amazing and gorgeous shots.
ReplyDeleteThat is a big chunk of rock. Always interesting to see the amazing things nature has created. Have a great weekend. Mickie :)
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I can't say for sure that my granny was a UFO believer or not, but I do know she was amused by what when on here. As a result, when I was kid, I spent more than a few nights camped out at Giant rock during the gatherings. I think they called them "conventions." There used to be a cafe/store there also. One of these days I hope to find her photos of the place with all the people gathered there.
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