Hiking Around Las Vegas, Gold Butte National Monument
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Overview Little Finland (aka Hobgoblin Playground, Lone Palm, and Devils Fire) is a fascinating area where wind and water have sculpted red sandstone rock into fantastical shapes that rival the best of other areas in the southwestern deserts. From the trailhead, a short scramble leads up into Little Finland, which stretches out for about 0.4 miles to the north. Exploration is easy because the area is fairly level. The farther you go and the more you look, the more you find, but this is more of an elfin wonderland than an area of towering pillars. This area is a major attraction for photographers. See some fine photography here; shown on this page are ordinary photos. Link to Area Description including route information, Area Map, and Hiking Map. |
Overviews of Little Finland
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 Atop cliffs (view NW towards trailhead parking) |
 North end desert scenery (view N towards Virgin Peak) |
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 Little Finland from above (view NW) |
 Long, vertical cracks along the face of Little Finland (view S) |
 Hikers returning to the trailhead (view N) |
 Perhaps the original "Lone Palm" |
 Approaching Little Finland from the south (view N) |
 Approaching Little Finland from the south (view N) |
 Salt deposits look like snow |
 Plants thrive in the sand |
How it Forms
 Irregularities on a rock face ... |
 ... erode to open gaps ... |
 ... thin layers of sandstone flake off the underside ... |
 ... and fall to the ledge below. |
Recognizable Shapes
 Angry Bird (aka Pinocchio) |
 Angry Bird (aka Pinocchio) |
 Vulcan's Throne |
 Vulcan's Throne |
 The Ogre |
 The Ogre |
 The Turret |
 The Turret |
 Balanced Rock |
 Balanced Rock |
 Balanced Rock |
 Balanced Rock |
 Rodent Skull |
 Rodent Skull |
 Triceratops |
 Monster Jaws |
 The Duck |
 Unhappy Puppy |
 This cholla often is the subject of photos |
 Running Lizard |
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 Go That Way |
 Hard to name this one |
 Horned Dinosaur |
 Horned Dinosaur |
 The Falcon |
 Mr. Magoo |
 Bevis |
 Pointing Dog |
Patterns and Shadows in the Stone -- Gargoyles
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Patterns and Shadows in the Stone -- Surface Patterns and Textures
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 Curious geologic formations and patterns |
 Curious geologic formations and patterns |
 Curious geologic formations and patterns |
 Curious geologic formations and patterns |
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 Shadows and swirls |
 Shadows and swirls |
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Something Walked this Way Long Ago
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 Something walked this way long ago |
 Something walked this way long ago |
 Someone stepped in the mud? |
 Someone stepped in the mud? |
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Little Finland Spring
 Little Finland Spring at the base of the cliffs |
 Little Finland Spring at the base of the cliffs |
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 Spring water evaporates and leaves mineral salts on the rocks |
 Spring water evaporates and leaves mineral salts on the rocks |
 Spring water evaporates and leaves mineral salts on the rocks |
 Spring water evaporates and leaves mineral salts on the rocks |
Freshwater Limestone (Marl): The reason for the erosion features.
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Messages from Those Who Came Before
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 Petroglyphs can be hard to see |
 Petroglyphs: perhaps bighorn sheep tracks? |
 Grinding slick (metate) |
 Grinding slick (metate) |
 Grinding slick (metate) |
 Grinding slick (metate) |
People at Little Finland
 Use caution and avoid damage when standing on formations |
 Use caution and avoid damage when standing on formations |
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 Kids finding a shady spot for lunch |
 Kids checking out rock stories |
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 Watch your step! |
 Blending with the gargoyles |
Sunset at Little Finland
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Happy Hiking! All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
; Last updated 240610
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