Top rock formations
Rock FormationEl Capitan
Rock FormationCastle Crags
Rock FormationThree Brothers
Rock FormationSalton Buttes
Rock FormationRobbers Roost
Rock FormationFairmont Butte
Rock FormationWashington Column
Rock FormationLittle Devils Postpile
Rock FormationAlcatraz Water Tower
Rock FormationCap Rock
Rock FormationCastle Rocks
Rock FormationGoat Buttes
Rock Formations by county
All rock formations (18)
| Name | County | Elevation | Nearest town | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El CapitanYosemite | Mariposa County | — | Yosemite Valley | 3 |
| Castle Crags | Shasta County | — | Dunsmuir | 2 |
| Three BrothersYosemite | Mariposa County | — | Yosemite Valley | 3 |
| Salton Buttes | Imperial County | — | Niland | 3 |
| Robbers Roost | Kern County | — | Inyokern | 3 |
| Fairmont Butte | Los Angeles County | — | Green Valley | 5 |
| Washington ColumnYosemite | Mariposa County | — | Yosemite Valley | 3 |
| Little Devils PostpileYosemite | Mono County | — | Yosemite Valley | 2 |
| Alcatraz Water TowerAlcatraz Island | City and County of San Francisco | — | Chinatown | 8 |
| Cap RockJoshua Tree | Riverside County | — | Twentynine Palms | 4 |
| Castle Rocks | Tulare County | — | Three Rivers | 3 |
| Goat ButtesSanta Monica Mountains | Los Angeles County | — | Agoura | 7 |
| Negro Butte | San Bernardino County | — | Lucerne Valley | 4 |
| Leaning Tower, YosemiteYosemite | Mariposa County | — | Yosemite Valley | 3 |
| 12 - Water TowerAlcatraz Island | City and County of San Francisco | — | Chinatown | 8 |
| 2 - Guard TowerAlcatraz Island | City and County of San Francisco | — | Chinatown | 8 |
| Alcatraz Guard TowerAlcatraz Island | City and County of San Francisco | — | Chinatown | 8 |
| Beetle RockSequoia & Kings Canyon | Tulare County | — | Three Rivers | 3 |
Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).
Map
How to photograph rock formations
Rock towers and buttes glow red and orange in the first and last half-hour of sun; midday light flattens their shape.
- Find a spot where the formation sits against open sky to emphasize its silhouette.
- At night, a formation under the Milky Way or star trails makes a strong anchor.
- Use the sunrise and sunset azimuths below to know which face will be lit.
- Stay on trails; desert soils and lichens take decades to recover from footprints.
Season: Spring and autumn are best in desert regions; winter snow on red rock is rare but spectacular.