This Giant Rock Was a Pilgrimage Spot for Alien Enthusiasts | Atlas Obscura

Giant Rock in Landers, California, is made of thousands of pounds of granite, and is widely considered to be one of the biggest freestanding boulders in the world. It is said to have been important to Native American communities, and throughout its history, it’s attracted hermits, UFO fanatics, and Instagram pilgrims.
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CREDITS
Directed by
Chris Naka
Story by
Jessica Hester
Produced by
Doug Baldinger
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[@stancoutant]

Thank you, Jessica. Well done. My family and I met "the rock" during 1954 when I was 11. We lived 14 miles away for 65 years, and attended several of the flying saucer conventions. Those were fun. People would bring three-ring binder notebooks filled with photographs of flying saucers, clouds in which "the mother ship" was hiding, and interesting random spots in the sky. Upon closer inspection it was fascinating how much one flying saucer looked like the top of a Coleman lantern, another like a hubcap resting on the sand. The random spots photo looked like it had been taken with an older camera having leaky bellows. One thing was guaranteed: everyone in attendance had a wonderful time believing whatever he or she wished, and I never heard a single rude comment about fact or fiction, which was refreshing. One hot day I happened to be there when no one but the van Tassel family was around, and George invited me to join him under the rock. I did, and found the decomposed gravel floor to be partially covered by carpets, several chairs, a dining room table, and-probably-sleeping quarters farther back, which I did not see. Electrical extension cords were everywhere, powering lights and a refrigerator. A generator outdoors provided power. And yes, it's cool down there during the summer months. Mr. van Tassel told stories, one being especially memorable, when aliens took him for a ride in their craft to New York and back in ten minutes. I never knew for sure how serious he was about becoming a write-in candidate for U.S. President, but I did see red-white-and-blue stickers imprinted, "van Tassel in 1964." Wish I had one of those now. -Stan Coutant

[@luisedmo4173]

La pregunta hoy es cual fue el propósito y el resultado de esta supuesta influencia extraterrestre para fabricar una máquina regeneradora. La imaginación de la mente humana es infinita, la estupidez aún mayor.

[@justinpipes85]

I just saw a news story about a giant boulder in Colorado that fell onto a highway... but instead of move the rock it's cheaper just to build the highway around the boulder. They're gonna make a state park around the boulder. I'd love to see you do a video about that place.

[@atlasobscura]

Whoa! That's awesome! We'll pass the tip on, thanks!

[@justinpipes85]

@@atlasobscura no problem. I just saw the article the other day. Its literally 200k cheaper to reroute the highway around the boulder. Haha.

[@GaaraFan01]

Woooow! I really want to travel there and honor this place 🥺 it’s so sad that some people just don’t respect it and leave garbage polluting everywhere...

[@sandienochs6132]

I lived under the rock with some other “Hippies” in the late sixties. We were only there for a few months and then moved to Shasta. We did not defile the rock in any way, it will always remain a special place to me.

[@jennieivins]

I love when people share the things they are passionate about, especially if it's something I'd not heard of before. Thanks!

[@atlasobscura]

Aw, thank you for the warm and kind comment, Jennie. We feel the same way when we hear from our travelers about all the awesome things they see and care about!

[@donmckinney928]

George Van Tassel Speaks. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYmqnKKiZdGFZtE

[@lucydeep2156]

That's a nice boulder.

[@lunathemadman]

*sniff* it's not just a boulder.... it's a rock.

[@robertnewell4054]

@@lunathemadman 😂😂😂

[@touchyssubjects364]

They let the magnesium block from a Volkswagen on fire underneath that side of the Rock, that's what caused it to break off the intense heat from a magnesium engine block from a Volkswagen bug.

[@daleval2182]

Do you have any back up on that, when that was done? , I'm doing a deep dive report, and would appreciate anything you can tell me.

[@touchyssubjects364]

@@daleval2182 if you want to do it deep dive and get it from the source become a member of the Landers community page on Facebook and go back through the posts and through the comments and there's multiple individuals saying I was there I remember that blah blah blah you do the work I'm just telling you where to find it.

[@daleval2182]

@@touchyssubjects364 Thank you

[@markbocanegra5140]

I grew up in Yucca Valley, which is right next to Landers. I used to ride my motorcycle to Giant Rock all the time when I was a kid in the 70's and 80's. This was of course way before the big chunk broke off of the rock so the rock was a little bigger back then. I remember the UFO conventions and all the parties out there. I was at them! I did not take part in any of the destruction or defacing. Thanks for bringing back the memories! I also remember the hamburgers. They were pretty good!

[@sneadh1]

In the 1950s the fad was mechanical flying saucers. Today it's in things less easy to disprove, such as claims of "power vortexes" and other invisibles. It should be mentioned that Van Tassel ran an airport on the flat next to the rock. A dozen or more small private planes would be parked there at times. Years later I went down about 14 steps to the empty.room. Later the govt. filled it in. The entrance (on the north side) with cement pavement and the first few steps leading to where the door had been, used to be visible, but people kept using it for campfires so now it is under a pile of sand and ashes.

[@freddiemesquit9746]

We moved to Apple Valley CA in 1956. My grandparents were already there and took me to see this rock. There were annual UFO conventions at the time and in the mid 60's hundreds of hippies would gather there at the same time. My grandpa, a voracious reader loved reading about UFO's and watching anything on T. V. about them. I think he believed the stories even though he never actually saw a UFO.

[@whatabouttheearth]

The spy thing is because some of the radio traffic people heard was German language, or so at least they claimed. I grew up in the Wonder Valley, Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley area and grandfather was obsessed with this story and had alot of original news paper clippings

[@BarchBR00KS]

I've camped out at Giant Rock a few times. This is one of my favorite places to go in the desert.

[@jsmith3980]

Did anyone[in the 1930s] ask the local Native Americans if it was ok to blow up the base of the rock? Anyway, thank you for the video. I travelled through the Mojave desert 30 years ago and missed the rock...it wasn't signposted.

[@kensereno4876]

Went to Giant Rock in March ( few days ago) Loved it! So much solidute was planning on camping nearby but was so windy was afraid. Even a small protected campfire would get out of hand. So we left early. Thanks for featuring it.

[@eugefederico1178]

I'm kinda jealous of the writers at AO. They have the coolest job ❤

[@atlasobscura]

They really, really do!

[@tigerpisces5506]

Everyone is saying this rock 🪨 was uniquely formed and geologist say no glaciers were in the area when it was formed. Rocks don't show roundness and errosion that is just wind and rainfall. The mountain near it are full of round boulders. These boulders were formed in 3 ways. Glaciers rolling them. Oceans or Rivers rolling them. Since there is a mountain of round boulders it appears glaciers had to be involved.

[@billmarek39]

I actually visited Giant Rock as a young 5-year old back in the 1950s. And remember going inside the underground room, but memories are hazy . . . I thought there was a curios shop underneath the boulder, but cannot find any pictures to verify that memory . . . how time fades what we remember. Cool Video. You should check out the ancient "Pepsi cap" - south of Black Mesa Mountain Indian Ruins. North of New River AZ and South of Black Canyon City (Tonto National Forest). Petroglyphs on the side and ancient pit houses on the flat top of the small mesa!

[@jpelorat]

At 03:59, the image with the jet trail is beautiful...

[@donmckinney928]

That was a chem trail . Jets do not leave a long lasting trail of condensation that last all day . It is silver iodide , aluminum oxide , iron oxide . strontium and thorium . This lasts in our ais , food and water . coming soon 5g

[@tonyfourpaws4511]

I'm here right now. Been driving around the southwest in my jeep. Just me and my dog. Decided to camp here for a while and maybe organize a cleanup campout!

[@robertnewell4054]

The Peabodys in Bishop are huge. I wonder how they compare. The camera angles don’t allow for perspective

[@feelmyice]

Tools song Rosetta stoned is about bill manspeaker (greenjello) visiting this rock on DMT

[@dentonandsasquatchshow6824]

Once I heard she got all the history right I knew she is truly a fan of the rock and desert. Well done. I tell people about this place and most usually don't believe me.

[@jsdigital]

Wonderful video. Giant Rock is a powerful place. If you go there expecting to have a transformative experience, you will.

[@brettsuydam]

Enchanted Rock in central Texas. :) Go when its foggy.

[@atlasobscura]

Thanks for the tip! We love foggy scenes :)

[@chiapagringa]

This is a great video. I love rocks and stones! I have placed them in my garden and small ones in my house. I bring them home from everywhere. It's interestingly coincidental that today I was wondering about the ages of my rocks/stones, the forces that shaped them and about how important geology is as a history teacher. Just loved learning about Giant Rock today. Thanks.

[@donmckinney928]

George Van Tassel Speaks kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYmqnKKiZdGFZtE

[@daleval2182]

You missed the story of Devi, and the split, was predicted 3 days before it happened. Study Sharia Nathi Devi, Spiritual Mother, and ancient indian prophecies, way more to this story than you think, David Wilcock did a deep dive on this.

[@livingthelava]

Excellent report.

[@AsheOdinson]

This is one of my favorite videos from Atlas Obscura because of the genuine passion in Jessica Hester's voice on this topic. You can tell that there's something personal about it. A certain famous philosopher once said that what one often finds offensive isn't what's said, but how it's said. A solid counter can be made about what one finds fascinating. I want to see this Giant Rock. Not because of any particular interest in geology, but because of the passion it inspired in Jessica. Even the video about the hidden bunker was made more interesting by the wonder in her voice. Please, more videos from her.

[@donmckinney928]

George Van Tassel Speaks. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYmqnKKiZdGFZtE

[@hankhanson3476]

I have been a Giant Rock once just the 2 of us there alone......that place is pretty eerie...I felt like someone was watching us.

[@lanathorne6940]

I live 20 mins away from giant rock I had a vague understanding of this. Thanks for explaining it better than I ever could!

[@daleval2182]

You should dig way deeper, this is a cosmic pin point, read info ,in the comments, get some real insight

[@dippedinsauce8928]

That’s not a rock, it’s a Boulder. The pioneers used to ride those things for miles

[@tomdavis3038]

It’s a rock. A big rock. An ocean is still “water”

[@johnmoser2689]

One of the most captivating places I've ever been was Niagara Falls pictures of it were awesome but being there and seeing it completely from both sides was beyond words

[@steverosten7101]

what a cool thing to be obsessed about ,,,i am too i love rocks

[@stakzz]

That was beautiful

[@hinspect]

There are pictures floating around of the guy's living quarters under the rock. VanTassell wrote about it as well

[@jessicaleighhester9250]

Thanks for watching! Yes, definitely! We don't have the appropriate rights to include them in the video, but there are some really fascinating ones in this old Popular Science story we mention: books.google.com/books?id=2CYDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA136&dq=frank+critzer+popular+science&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi-rrilrv3hAhUiqlkKHUStCO0Q6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=frank%20critzer%20popular%20science&f=false

[@hinspect]

Thanks for your comment! I understand the copyright stuff, you did the best that you could do under the circumstances

[@donmckinney928]

George Van Tassel Speaks. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYmqnKKiZdGFZtE

[@donmckinney928]

@@jessicaleighhester9250 George Van Tassel Speaks kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYmqnKKiZdGFZtE

[@jessicaleighhester9250]

@@donmckinney928 Can't wait to watch this! Thanks for sharing!

[@MostDopeLarry]

Go riding every two months here. Love it !

[@SmoochieJMcBride]

the Come On Inn with famous pie wow ---that place is hard to find I almost got lost... been there twice Integratron a few times too

[@elenasabo1002]

Why no mention about the native "american" spiritual significance of this spot??

[@daleval2182]

They are weak investigators, study Davi, and the crack prediction and its meaning

[@lazerman121]

I literally found this at random wile exploring google earth a few weeks ago and pinned it. Crazy yall do a video on this only weeks later!

[@atlasobscura]

Serendipity!

[@lazerman121]

@@atlasobscura I know of a cool boulder that I think jessica will love. IO have shared it with yall once before but I am not sure if she has seen it. The impossible boulder of Virginia. www.flickr.com/photos/61987710@N05/18024407682/ BTW yes that is me standing under it :o

[@juan-ksporty7348]

thats amazing I've seen them

[@kennethmunro482]

that was really good story giant rock,i live out by giant rock,and i get the same feeling you do

[@markkilburn112]

Hi Jessica, i grew up in SoCal and used to go to Giant Rock quite a bit. I actually met Mrs Van Tassell and have been inside the Integratron two times. Do you know who Gabriel Green is?

[@MegaAduffy]

THE GUY WHO LIVED UNDERNEATH IT.WASNT AT ALL HAPPY BEING ASKED TO GET IN THE CAR AND SIGN THE DRAUGHT INTO WW2 IN THE LOCAL TOWN,HE TOLD THEM TO FUCK OFF THE GOLD MINER WAY..HELL NOOOOOOOOO BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM...BLESS HIM

[@brucerice8974]

I love your passion and insight

[@luisedmo4173]

Muy interesante y un caso más de los humanos que de la nada construyen un mundo de lo inexplicable. La pregunta es q se logró con esta supuesta intervención extraterrestre. Saludos desde Argentina.

[@muiravenue7182]

Awesome

[@gaelthefail4399]

Machoke used rock smash. *not very effective*

[@steviewaichulis]

I love that Rock... :-)

[@k1274]

Patrick

[@josephteller9715]

Someone needs to go and clean up the trash.

[@jaykay5945]

Were you able to find the hieroglyphics from the Native American tribes there?

[@sneadh1]

The stories about it being a Native American meeting place are fantasy, There is no evidence of it, and there is no water there, Stories of power vortexes and thelike are also fantasy.

[@LisaSapien]

I love Atlas Obscura ...

[@atlasobscura]

And we love you!

[@bryankelly335]

Cool , never heard of this Giant Rock .. Is it Sandstone ..? Appreciate yah ..!

[@BarchBR00KS]

She said in the video that it is made of granite.

[@bryankelly335]

Oh , I'm dumb .. hah Thanks for clearing that up for me .. I appreciate it

[@SCSlimBoiseID]

@@BarchBR00KS Might be, but it looks like sandstone. Any professional geologists out there? Wiki says it's "white granite."

[@BarchBR00KS]

@@SCSlimBoiseID I've been there many times. It is granite and definitely not sandstone. I am an adjunct geology professor. I couldn't tell you what type of granite, but it is granite.

[@SCSlimBoiseID]

@@BarchBR00KS Thank you, sir. It's been a few years (okay, more than a few) since my physical geology course in college. These days I confine my diagnoses to basalt and obsidian, mostly; chert or chalcedony on special occasions. After that, it all turns to shist. ;)

[@gabponce9707]

10.1 inches or feet...?

[@fuji4202]

I was there 😁

[@Roz5356]

very interesting, but I was disappointed you really didn't give the audience a real perspective on it's size.

[@daniel3231995]

Here from ancient aliens 👽 tassel discovered fountain of youth ⛲

[@Samtzu]

Um..... that's a big rock..... I wonder when it rolled down the hill....

[@gbbgbla]

*_THE PIONEERS USED TO RIDE THESE BABYS FOR MILES_*

[@tetekofa]

Been there a few times

[@makergrey]

A boulder doesn't have to be moved and eroded by glaciers. That's an erratic.

[@tunpyaephyomin8579]

❤

[@jwatson078555]

If you've got a staffer in the UK, a good geological oddity to check out would be Lud Church in Staffordshire. Very cool place, with an ancient feel and very old literary connections. Oh and it isn't a church.

[@atlasobscura]

Ah, yes! We definitely have it in our database, but we would love to try and get out there to film. www.atlasobscura.com/places/lud-s-church

[@jwatson078555]

@@atlasobscura If you can, go there on a really bright and scorching hot day - it's amazing decending into the cool, damp, twilight depths, then emerging at the other end back into the heat.

[@atlasobscura]

Brb, booking tickets

[@joem4613]

Don't camp there and expect a private camp. You are camping at a tourist destination.

[@guidoferri8683]

Why it is in such a bad condition? Isn't California protecting its heritage?

[@blank_3768]

Guido Ferri it’s in the middle of the dessert. No amount of law is going to police it at all times

[@gailghoul5629]

id love to see the living area below?! that sounds great

[@atlasobscura]

Unfortunately, the story of the man who lived there ends quite tragically! Because he was suspected of being a German spy during WWII, police raided the cavern, and legend holds that one of the tear gas canisters they threw into the cave accidentally ignited a small stash of explosives that were there for mining purposes. So it's gone now. www.atlasobscura.com/places/giant-rock

[@atlasobscura]

Our writer did provide a link in another comment below of a few photos: books.google.com/books?id=2CYDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA136&dq=frank+critzer+popular+science&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi-rrilrv3hAhUiqlkKHUStCO0Q6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=frank%20critzer%20popular%20science&f=false

[@stancoutant]

It was. Carpets upon the decomposed granite floor, upholstered chairs, electrical power coming in from a generator outdoors… -Stan

[@prostarphotos]

Hey those were my sandals

[@XavierZara]

Patrick are you under there?

[@joshgibson5413]

And I ride my kx85 there

[@ozzfest6669]

Kind of like your geography😳 LOL JK awesome video that rock is amazing

[@NaniCendejas]

it's a ufo in the top

[@jackieselby4726]

Pronounced “Krytzer” like eye, not Critzer like critter.

[@stevenfaults4160]

A mere pebble in God's masterpiece

[@heyzus]

not the largest dry land rock on the planet, uluru is!

[@FSUAGAMINGAIRSOFT]

I live here so weird that people come to see this shit lol

[@joshgibson5413]

The purson was a asian spy

[@deserttrips1565]

I'm looking for others who say what I saw there. I saw the most jaw dropping ufo at close range in my life. I'm going to post to on my channel.

[@Jedi-Biggs]

Hi,I'm going Tuesday. Around what time did you see it? I really want to see something like that.

[@deserttrips1565]

@@Jedi-Biggs 9:10pm

[@marcosvc76]

I am not sure. I barely believe in the prophecy.

[@vanhouten64]

Gun ownership and trashy, reckless, destructuve, inconsiderate behaviour go together all too often.

[@gnoldi]

I'm sorry, but presenter's vocal fry is absolutely insufferable. I'd rather listen to a generic AI narration.