Hole-in-the-Rock is a natural

geological Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other E ...

formation in

Papago Park Papago Park () is a municipal park of the cities of Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona, United States. It has been designated as a Phoenix Point of Pride. It includes Hunt's Tomb, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Descripti ...

, a municipal park of

Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...

and

Tempe, Arizona , settlement_type = City , named_for = Vale of Tempe , image_skyline = Tempeskyline3.jpg , imagesize = 260px , image_caption = Tempe skyline as se ...

Description

In 1892,

Charles Poston Charles Debrille Poston (April 20, 1825 – June 24, 1902) was an American explorer, prospector, author, politician, and civil servant. He is referred to as the "Father of Arizona" due to his efforts lobbying for creation of the territory. ...

named and

claimed "Claimed" is the eleventh episode of the The Walking Dead (season 4), fourth season of the Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, post-apocalyptic Horror fiction, horror television series ''The Walking Dead (TV series), The Walking Dead'', wh ...

"Hole-in-the-Rock". Hole-in-the-Rock is a series of openings ''(

tafoni Although various definitions can be found in the scientific literature, tafoni (singular: tafone) are commonly defined as small (less than ) to large (greater than ) cavity features that develop in either natural or manmade, vertical to steeply s ...

)''

eroded Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is disti ...

in a small hill composed of bare red

arkosic Arkose () or arkosic sandstone is a detrital sedimentary rock, specifically a type of sandstone containing at least 25% feldspar. Arkosic sand is sand that is similarly rich in feldspar, and thus the potential precursor of arkose. Quartz is ...

conglomeritic

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates ...

. The sandstone was first formed some 6–15 million years ago from the accumulation of materials eroding from a Precambrian granite, long since eroded away. The tafoni are thought to have been eroded by water. An open, shelter-like chamber in the face of the formation communicates with the rear of the formation via a hole eroded completely through the rock. Another substantial opening exists in the "ceiling" of the chamber. There is evidence that the Hohokam, early inhabitants of the region, used and recorded the position of sunlight shining through the latter opening to mark the seasons—notably the

equinox A solar equinox is a moment in time when the Sun crosses the Earth's equator, which is to say, appears directly above the equator, rather than north or south of the equator. On the day of the equinox, the Sun appears to rise "due east" and se ...

es and the

solstice A solstice is an event that occurs when the Sun appears to reach its most northerly or southerly excursion relative to the celestial equator on the celestial sphere. Two solstices occur annually, around June 21 and December 21. In many countr ...

s, which were marked by carving a slick area ''(

metate A metate (or mealing stone) is a type or variety of quern, a ground stone tool used for processing grain and seeds. In traditional Mesoamerican cultures, metates are typically used by women who would grind nixtamalized maize and other organic ...

)'' in the rock. Other positions were marked with boulders. The formation is a popular attraction in the park. The openings and main chamber near the summit are easily accessible via a smoothly ascending path that passes behind the hill. It is also possible to climb the face of the hill to reach the chamber. While popular, the trail can be dangerous. The chamber provides a good view of the city of

west of the park. A nearly constant wind blows through the openings in the rock.

Gallery

References

External links

Papago Park Facts
– provided by the City of Phoenix

– provided by Gemland {{DEFAULTSORT:Hole-In-The-Rock (Papago Park) Geography of Phoenix, Arizona Rock formations of Arizona Native American history of Arizona Religious places of the indigenous peoples of North America Landforms of Maricopa County, Arizona Tourist attractions in Maricopa County, Arizona

Description

Gallery

See also

References

External links