Independence Rock (Wyoming) - Description

Description

The rock is a large rounded monolith of Archean granite typical of the surrounding region and is considered the highest point of the short Granite Mountains sub-range. Its appearance is somewhat like the rounded Enchanted Rock of Texas or the Uluru in Australia (also called Ayers Rock), although smaller in size. It is located in the high plateau region of central Wyoming, north of the Green Mountains and close to the Sweetwater River. It is accessible from a rest area on Wyoming Highway 220, approximately 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Muddy Gap and 60 miles (97 km) south-west of Casper.

There have been several theories regarding how the rock was carved. One explanation that comes from The History Channel states that several stonecarvers set up shop on the rock and charged a small fee to carve names. This would explain the fact that some names appear to be from the same hand and are professional looking as well.

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