What Is "Ship Rock"�?

Ship Rock is one of the most famous rock formations in the U.S., comparable to Australia's Ayers Rock in its singular, isolated location, in the Southwest state of  New Mexico.
The 1,700-foot high, sheer-sided monolith is the remains of an explosive volcanic vent, or diatreme. The freestanding pinnacle is a volcanic neck, formed in eruptions in the Colorado Plateau between 30-19 million years ago.
Ship Rock can be seen from many miles away, and was a landmark for weary pioneers during the westward expansion of the fledgling United States.
Ship Rock is on Navajo Reservation land. To get up close, a backcountry permit must be obtained from the Navajo Parks and Recreation Department. A very rutted road that may be impassable in wet weather leads to a one-mile round-trip trail to the mountain's base.