The Naming of Rocks

The Naming of Rocks. . , Through time and imagination, these rocks have been named, and often renamed, Red Rocks is full of "gateway" rocks and others that have been compared to ships, or named for their parks, caves, and other features. Cracks become crevices, then enlarge to grottos, caves, and labyrinths, inspiring fanciful names like Fat Man's Misery or Demon's Grotto., Early in the 1900s, when J.B. Walker named his park Garden of the Titans, many of the features were named after those ancient Greek gods, including Rock of Cronus, Rock of Mnemosyne, Cave of Saturn, Spring of Rhea, and Rock of Tethys., 1) Lizard Head Rock: Its current name, Tunnel Rock, is purely descriptive. You drive through the tunnel as you approach the upper parking lot at the amphitheatre., 2) Seat of Pluto, the Toadstool: The postcard suggests early photo fakery for this small poised rock., 3) Ship Rock: on the south, once known as Rock of Coios (Coeus), with a Lover's Leap on the north edge., 4) Creation Rock: north of the amphitheatre, may be the oldest name applied to this highest rock; by 1901 it was called Mammoth King Rock. Called Rock of Cronus during Titan era, its High Cave was renamed Cave of Saturn., 5) Stage Rock: has been the scene of concerts since 1908., 6) Rock of Tethys: lies just east of Stage Rock; named for the Titan goddess of rivers, has no current name., 7) Ladder Cave Rock: Seven Ladders Rock, Rock of the Erinnyes. Named for the climbs constructed inside the rock a century ago (no longer there); many names were applied to the features inside as well, e.g. Jacob's Ladder, Toboggan Slide., 8) Nine Parks Rock, Rock of Mnemosyne: This enormous rock is riddled with nine openings called parks. The rock was once named for Mnemosyne, mother of the nine muses., What is a park? A grassy open space within a large outcrop is often called a park. Nine Parks Rock has nine of these gardens. Can you spot miniature parks on the rocks nearby? These spots are where moisture collects, plants grow, and animals find islands of habitat among the barren rocks., 9) Picnic Rocks: Rock of Cronus, Promontory Rock, Forbidden Climb, Coves of the Melian Nymphs, Lover's Leap., 10) Gog and Magog: The pillar rocks across the valley were likely given this biblical name in the late 1800's, when the park was known as Garden of the Angels. View from the main trail looking north. Gog, known as Sphinx from the east, is also a smokestack on the rock often known as the Sinking Titanic., 11) Frog Rock is the large rock at the south end of the park., 12) A smaller feature known as the Toad is just to the south; see if you can identify it by matching this historic postcard., 13) Sinking Titanic and Iceberg: April 1912, when the "unsinkable" ship went down, left an impression in the park., 14) Park Cave Rock: Also known as Crown Rock, this is the easternmost rock in the park.