DR DANIEL O'NEILL. LBN LITTLETON HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION 12 YEATON RD. DR. DANIEL O'NEILL. PLYMOUTH, NH 03264-3457 Phone: 603-536-2270. Fax: Website:
What are Hoodoos? Hoodoos or Goblins are one of the most spectacular displays of erosion. They are geological formations, rocks protruding upwards from the bedrock like some mythical beings, conveying the story of hundreds and thousands of years of weather erosion. Most Hoodoos are made of sandstone, sand-sized particles cemented together by calcite, silica, or iron oxide. They are created by erosion. Rains, running water and strong sand winds slowly chip away the material from the bedrock. As some parts of the sandstone are stronger than others, uneven shapes of remains begin forming.
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 predominantly limestone. Thirty to 40 million years ago this rock was born in an ancient lake that covered much of Western Utah.