![]() In common usage, the difference between hoodoos and pinnacles (or spires) is that hoodoos have a variable thickness while spires, have a smoother profile or uniform thickness that taper upward from the ground. Hoodoos are found mainly in the desert in hot, dry areas and smaller versions of these sandstone giants can be found all over the Badlands. The sandstone structures will ultimately be worn away and break, and the harder top rock will eventually come crashing down. The cap rock slows the process of complete erosion by keeping them from disintegrating at the same speed as the surrounding sandstone. They’re formed from soft sandstone, and most are capped with a harder rock which sits on top like a hat. These hoodoos (also called a tent rock, fairy chimney or earth pyramid) have been carved over millions of years into pillar-like shapes. Today we know the rocks were created by erosion, shaped by wind and water. A legend of the Paiute Indians, who inhabited the area for hundreds of years before the arrival of European Americans, claims the colorful hoodoos are ancient people who were turned to stone as punishment for bad deeds. According to Blackfoot and Cree traditions, these rocks are petrified giants who come alive at night to protect their land by throwing stones at trespassers. In the badlands of Alberta, Canada, unusually shaped rock-formations which rise to 20 feet tall, grace the landscape.
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