It was a July morning in 2018 when I first encountered Monument Rocks, one of Kansas' most astonishing natural landmarks. I was on my way to Colorado, heading for a holiday in Estes Park, when curiosity led me to the chalk pyramids of western Kansas. Located in Chase County, roughly between Oakley and Scott City, the Rocks are an iconic symbol of the Great Plains. My first encounter was just as the sun peeked over the horizon, painting a striking portrait against the monumental formations.

The horizon in western Kansas is unobscured, a feature that makes watching the sunrise an experience akin to witnessing it over the ocean. Unlike the coastal settings, however, here in Kansas, the sunrise unfolds slowly, allowing you to savor every gradual change in color and light. As I stood there, enveloped by the solitude of the place, I felt a powerful connection to the landscape that has since drawn me back again and again. Since that first trip in 2018, I've stopped by Monument Rocks every chance I've had.

"Monument Rocks feels almost surreal," I remember thinking as the sun rose higher, illuminating the tall chalk formations that have stood for millions of years. The serene vastness and rich geological history speak volumes about the ancient seabed that once covered this place. This site, also known as the Chalk Pyramids, stands as a testament to the natural forces that have shaped the Great Plains into what they are today.

Geologists tell us that Monument Rocks were formed about 80 million years ago, during the late Cretaceous period when much of Kansas lay beneath the Western Interior Seaway. Over millennia, the sediment turned into chalk, and the forces of wind and water eroded the land into the remarkable formations we see today. As Dr. Rex Buchanan of the Kansas Geological Survey once put it, "These chalk formations remind us that the land we stand on has undergone profound changes, over time scales that are difficult for us to comprehend."

That first visit remains etched in my memory, not just for the beauty of the Rocks themselves but for the realization of just how unhurried nature can be. A Kansas sunrise at Monument Rocks is a celebration of patience—the golden hues taking over the sky, painting the white chalk cliffs in a soft glow—a sight that could make even the most hurried traveler pause and reflect.

Every time I return, there is something new to see: changes in light and shadow, subtle wear on the chalk faces, the sound of a breeze whispering across the plains. There's an enduring tranquility here that continues to captivate me. As another local visitor once said, "If you let it, the quiet here can take you back in time—to when the prairie was a sea, and these were its white cliffs."

• Kansas Geological Survey - The Chalk Pyramids of Kansas
• National Park Service - Monument Rocks
• Travel Kansas - Monument Rocks: The Chalk Pyramids