Mushroom Rock State Park is noted for its mushroom rock formations. It is located in the

Smoky Hills The Smoky Hills are an upland region of hills in the central Great Plains of North America. They are located in the Midwestern United States, encompassing north-central Kansas and a small portion of south-central Nebraska. The hills are a disse ...

region of north-central

Kansas Kansas () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its Capital city, capital is Topeka, Kansas, Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita, Kansas, Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebras ...

Ellsworth County, Kansas Ellsworth County (county code EW) is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 6,376. Its county seat and most populous city is Ellsworth. History Early history From the 16th century t ...

, United States. These rocks are the remains of beach sands and sediments of the Cretaceous Period, the interval of geologic time from about 144 to 66 million years ago. Sandstone and sedimentary rock is held together by natural cement. The concretions that make up Mushroom Rocks are cemented calcium carbonate. The largest rock measures 27 feet in diameter. There are two mushrooms and a giant shoe rock, as well as numerous other rock formations in the park. Mushroom Rock is Kansas's smallest state park. As well as being "one of the 8 wonders of Kansas Geography." Mushroom Rock State Park is managed by Kanopolis State Park, under regulation of

Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) is a state cabinet-level agency led by a Secretary of Wildlife and Parks appointed by the Governor of Kansas. The Office of the Secretary is located in Topeka, the state capital of Kansas. A s ...

. The rock used to serve as meeting places for pioneers and Native Americans.

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File:Mushroom Rock Kansas 1916.jpg, Rock formation at Mushroom Rock State Park, Kansas (1916)Darton, N.H. 1916. Guidebook of the Western United States: Part C - The Santa Fe Route, with a Side Trip to Grand Canyon of the Colorado. U.S. Geological Survey. Bulletin 613, 194 pp. (See Plate 3-A)

References

External links

Mushroom Rock State Park - Official Site

Mushroom Rock State Park - Trip Report

Ellsworth County map
KDOT Protected areas of Ellsworth County, Kansas Tourist attractions in Ellsworth County, Kansas State parks of Kansas Rock formations of Kansas Protected areas established in 1965 Landforms of Ellsworth County, Kansas {{Kansas-protected-area-stub

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