The Badlands Guardian – Walsh, Alberta - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

The Badlands Guardian

Walsh, Alberta

A face emerges from the landscape when seen from the air. 

View all photos
58
329
Top Places in Alberta
Gopher Hole Museum
Torrington, Alberta
World's First UFO Landing Pad
Saint Paul, Alberta
Vulcan
Vulcan, Alberta
 See All

Located in southeastern Alberta, Canada, near Medicine Hat, this great geological wonder can only be seen from high above the ground.

Nevertheless, its humanoid details are stunning when one considers that human hands took no part in shaping this large mass of rock. The profile was formed by the erosion of rainwater on layers of clay-rich soil.

Viewed from the air, the feature bears a strong resemblance to a human head wearing a full First Nations headdress. In a humorous (or tragic) turn, the additional man-made structures make it appear to be wearing earbuds, like an enormous iPod commercial.

The headphone’s wires are formed by a dirt road, and the earpiece is formed by an oil well where the road ends. The Badlands Guardian is only one of many geological and landscape oddities that have recently been discovered using Google Earth images.

Know Before You Go

visible only from the air

Easy to see on Google Earth
just go to coordinates:
50.010611,-110.113422

geological oddities geology
Nearby
Saamis Tepee
25.67 miles
Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
36.60 miles
Red Rock Coulee
41.47 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
Medicine Hat, Alberta

Saamis Tepee

A standalone wonder amid the prairie badlands of southeastern Alberta.
Cypress Hill Loch Lomond Area
Maple Creek, Saskatchewan

Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park

When North America was covered in ice, this was an oasis in the frozen desert.
Red Rock Coulee
Orion, Alberta

Red Rock Coulee

Huge spherical rocks in the middle of the prairie.
Prelate, Saskatchewan

Great Sand Hills

These little-known sands dunes are a geological anomaly in Saskatchewan's southern prairies.
Related Places
Koyulus, Kazakhstan

Ybykty Canyon

This small canyon is home to a treasure trove of geological oddities.
Healy, Alaska

Suntrana Canyon

This often-overlooked canyon dazzles and intrigues with its many layers of colors, shapes and odd formations.
Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

Trümmelbach Falls

Visit Europe's largest subterranean waterfall, carved by water from the glaciers of the towering peaks surrounding the valley.
Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise, France

Lac Pavin

This volcanic crater lake is renowned for its perfectly round shape, stunning blue-green waters, and unique geological properties.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web