This small scenic outlook on the Interstate is one of the only such places you can stop easily and see the vastness of the Flint Hills. It is accessible from both the North and Southbound lanes and is well marked with ample parking. The rating is due to the uneven terrain. It's not difficult, but perhaps a bit too rocky for a wheelchair. The coordinates will take you to a plaque.
The Flint Hills is a region in eastern Kansas and northern Oklahoma which is named for the abundance of flint in the bedrock which is typically near or at the surface of the land. Explorer Zebulon Pike first coined the name the Flint Hills in 1806 when he entered into his journal, "passed very ruff flint hills." Interestingly enough, flint is not as common here as the name might imply. It is more exposed due to erosion, but limestone is far more common than any other mineral.
The Flint Hills is noteworthy because it is the largest and most dense expanse of tallgrass prairie remaining in all of North America, it is also a source of limestone and sandstone. In the early days of migration across the American territories people were unable to farm the rocky soil so this area became large grazing pastures for cattle and buffalo. In time, this area has been known for large cattle ranches who are able to comfortably live in the tallgrass prairie without causing environmental damages.
A map of the full stretch of the Flint Hills
The rocky terrain in the Flint Hills was laid down approximately 250 million years ago during the Permian Period. They were formed by the erosion of Permian-age limestones and shales. During the early part of the Permian Period shallow seas covered much of the state, as they did during Pennsylvanian times. At this point both Oklahoma and Kansas were covered with these seas, where most inhabitants were sea sponges and diverse aquatic life. The land here was primarily composed of limestone and chalk, which the salty waters eroded away over time creating rolling hills. Given the rather low water level and lower level of tectonic plate activity, instead of creating vast cliffs and canyons, hills and gulleys were formed instead. With the unique environment and topography of the Flint Hills, flint was also created here in huge swaths and exposed when the limestone and sandstone eroded away from rainwater.
Flint is made when sponges and phytoplankton use the silica in the water to form their skeletons, then when they die they become part of the sediment layer. The water becomes acidic from other matter and dissolves the silica, which becomes pressurized under the sediment and creates flint. Other common geological elements found here are chert, shale sandstone, and limestone, which were also formed due the unique shallow seas of the Permian period. Within many of the rocks are prehistoric sea creatures. Sometimes you can even find them in surface level rocks. The nature of limestone is to erode quite easily in the elements so the surface layer of much of the Flint Hills is a chert and shale gravel composition. The hilltops in the area, especially, are covered with this gravel. Due to this, only a few types of plants can grow here, thus preserving this section of land from farmland.
- Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed primarily of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and is in the form of mineral calcite. It usually forms in clear, warm, shallow marine waters. It is formed most commonly by the accumulation of shell, coral, algal, and fecal debris. Most limestone have a granular texture, but they can also be crystalline or clastic.
- Shale is a fine grain sedimentary rock composed of a mud that is made of clay minerals and silt particles of other minerals. Shale comes in several colors primarily blue, red, gray, and white. It is the most common type of sedimentary rock and is smooth on the surface, but often has jagged edges with layering.
- Chert is another sedimentary rock composed of microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline quarts in the mineral form of silicon dioxide (SiO2). Chert has many forms including nodules, layered deposits, and mass swaths. Chert is similar to shale in its layered breakage which produces sharp edges. Chert is most commonly gray and white.
- Sandstone is also a sedimentary rock. This rock consists of sand and other mineral particles combined through pressure. Upon close inspection, individual granules can been seen as well as any fossils contained within the stone. Sandstone often has a gritty and porous makeup so it erodes away easily when exposed to the elements. Common colors are brown, red, yellow, and white.
Flint and chert mix in chalk
To claim this find, you must do two things, the third is optional.
- At the coordinates there is a plaque. 3 of the 5 major rocks listed on this page are listed on the plaque (flint, sandstone, chert, shale, & limestone). Which stones are listed?
- There are large rocks decorating this parking area, based on the cache page, what kind of rock do you think they are?
- Post a photo of yourself with the gorgeous Flint Hills, just to clarify, this is an optional answer.
You must answer the questions to claim this cache as found. Any logs that do not do this in a timely fashion, will be deleted.