Watford City in McKenzie County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Slump Formation

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, July 21, 2015

1. Slump Formation Marker

Inscription.
These tilted mounds were once part of the higher cliffs beyond. Stream cutting against their base over-steepened the cliffs. During wet periods, blocks of earth slid downhill, retaining their original layered sequence.

Can you match the layers?

Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Natural Features.

Location. Marker has been reported permanently removed. It was located near 47° 35.623′ N, 103° 18.086′ W. Marker was in Watford City, North Dakota, in McKenzie County. It was on Scenic Drive, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located at the Slump Block Pullout in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Touch for map. Marker was in this post office area: Watford City ND 58854, United States of America.

We have been informed that this marker is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.

Regionally, this marker was in North Dakota’s Bakken Oil Patch.

It was also in the American Lewis & Clark Corridor,

on the prairies,

and on the Northern Plains.

Globally, it was in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it found itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this location, measured as the crow flies: Tilted (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Layers in Time / Portraits in Stone (approx. half a mile away); Cannonball Mystery

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(approx. 1½ miles away); Theodore Roosevelt National Park (approx. 2 miles away); Walter H. Chaloner (approx. 2.2 miles away); North Dakota Badlands (approx. 2.3 miles away); The Long X Trail: A Dusty Trail to Greener Pastures (approx. 2.7 miles away); Badlands Panorama (approx. 3.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Watford City.

Other markers no longer nearby. Longhorns (was approx. 0.6 miles away but has been permanently removed); “Cannon Ball” Concretions (was approx. 1.4 miles away but has been permanently removed); Long X Cattle Trail (was approx. 2.1 miles away but has been permanently removed).

More about this marker. A diagram of a slump formation appears on the right side of the marker. Identified on the illustration are the former position of the slump block, the tilted mound slump block, and the stream valley.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, July 21, 2015

2. Slump Formation Marker

Marker in Theodore Roosevelt National Park image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, July 21, 2015

3. Marker in Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, July 21, 2015

4. Slump Formation Marker

Slump Formation seen from the Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Coughlin, July 21, 2015

5. Slump Formation seen from the Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on October 13, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 14, 2015, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 613 times since then and 10 times this year. Last updated on August 19, 2025, by Susan Van Den Bosch of Almond, Wisconsin. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 14, 2015, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.