Whimsical Rock Formations at Little Finland, Nevada
Deep in the Nevada desert reachable by an off-beaten track
called Gold Butte Byway, lies a fascinating area that few people know
about. It’s known by various names such as Little Finland, Hobgoblin's
Playground and Devil's Fire. This is a place where wind and water have
sculpted red sandstone rock into fantastical shapes that is rarely seen
anywhere else. Like a fanciful mirage, fiery sandstone fins and bizarre
shaped mythical beasts springs from the desert floor. With little bit of
imagination you can faces of people and wild animals that have been
formed by the eroding sandstone, making for endless photographic
possibilities. A few of these odd shaped formations have taken on
descriptive names, such as the Ancient Elephant, Little Dinosaur and Big
Nose.
Little Finland is so called because the rock formations
here can seem to look like fins, but “Hobgoblin's Playground” sounds
more appropriate. Akin to the nearby Valley of Fire, just 30 km from
this place, this red rock setting was formed millions of years ago
shaped by wind erosion and occasional heavy rains, a process known as
Aeolian.
Little Finland is located about 50 miles south of Mesquite. Unfortunately, reaching this place is tough. You will need an all-terrain, 4 wheel drive with high clearance. The unpaved part of the trip can be very bumpy. There is no fuel service, food or drink and few road signs.
Little
Finland is unlisted in the BLM's website and visiting is highly
discouraged by management officials, because of the extremely fragile
rock formations that can easily crumble if not careful.