Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 1 24 and higher, tapping on vari- ous boulders indiscriminately, sending their chimes up into the air to harmonize with the singing meadowlarks. Thunk! Ding! Clank! Bong! Chime! I continued making my way up the mound, testing the vari- ous sounds as I crested the top and looked out over the half- mile-wide geological marvel. It was almost as if a piano built for a mythical giant had collapsed into mayhem, leaving its keys scattered across the mountain- side. Yet at the same time, it seemed intricately arranged— perfectly engineered by a team of industrious, mischievous gnomes, perhaps? The tones resounding from the Ringing Rocks were indi- vidually beautiful, but I was never able to create a cohesive melody or organized pattern with their chimes. They each had their own sound, seemingly regardless of their size or shape. Occasionally, I'd hit one that wouldn't ring at all. Each tap unveiled a surprise. Eventually, the mesmerizing peace of the chimes and bell- like tones I'd created during the solitude of being alone in this magical—albeit bizarre—utopia for hours was hilariously shattered by an utter cacophony of dings and thunks and clanks, capped off with squeals of astonishment. Children had descended upon the Ringing Rocks, instantly mor- phing nature's cathedral bells into a chaotic, disjointed rock concert. And those kids were having an absolute blast. WHAT PUTS THE 'RING' IN THE ROCKS? The Ringing Rocks are located inside the boundaries of the vast Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest—a three-million-acre area of public land spilling into seven southwest Montana counties. It is one of just two places in the United States where visitors can experience this sort of rare geolog- ical wonder. The other is a well-known, well-traveled county park in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. "There are many theories about how this rock pile formed and why the rocks ring, but there are no certain answers," explains geologist Joan Gabelman, who has worked at the Bu- reau of Land Management's Butte Office for the past 21 years. The rocks, which are believed to be approximately 76 million years old, contain an abundance of pyroxene and olivine and are therefore extremely resistant to weathering. Some scientists believe the rocks surrounding the pyroxene

• Cover