Thor's Hammer

Watching the sunrise over the Bryce Canyon formations is an indescribable experience. Thor's Hammer is a spectacular example of a hoodoo, which is sometimes referred to as a tent rock or fairy chimney. They form because of erosion processes and may be found in badland areas whenever relatively hard rock overlays softer more erodible rock, such as sandstone. Here the sandstone is from the Claron Formation. The harder more resistant caprock protects the softer underlying layers from frost, wind, rain, freezing and thawing so that the rate of erosion is slower than elsewhere. Common Name (preferred): Hoodoo, goblin  Geologic Name: Hoodoo  Size Range: 5-150 ft. tall (1.5-45 m)  Formation Name: Claron Limestone  Rock Age: Paleocene or Eocene in age, 40-60 mya  Famous Examples: Thor's Hammer, The Hunter, Queen Victoria At Bryce Canyon, hoodoos range in size from that of an average human to heights exceeding a 10-story building. Formed in sedimentary rock, hoodoo shapes are affected by the erosional patterns of alternating hard and softer rock layers. The name given to the rock layer that forms hoodoos at Bryce Canyon is the Claron Formation. This layer has several rock types including siltstones and mudstones but is predominatly limestone. Thirty to 40 million years ago this rock was "born" in an ancient lake that covered much of Western Utah. Minerals deposited within different rock types cause hoodoos to have different colors throughout their height.