So why, you might ask, did I drag my travel partner 20 minutes out of our way to see what is essentially just a giant rock? Great question! The short answer? I can’t pass up attractions like the Slayton Rock.
I have an unshakeable soft spot for seemingly insignificant attractions. I love the idea that no matter how small or trivial, these little tourist stops mean something big to the people who create them. About five miles southwest of Casey, Iowa, on a back country road, I found another one of these tiny treasures in Slayton Rock.
Weighing in at 500,000 pounds and standing more than 16 feet high, this boulder is a behemoth. In fact, in the fall of 1999 it took Don and Betty Slayton 3,000 horsepower to move the gigantic boulder from their nearby field. And that’s pretty much it. If you’re extra interested, you can read extensively about the moving of the rock here. But essentially, that’s the gist.
And sometimes, when you’re traveling the back roads of adventure, that’s all you can ask for.
Slayton Rock, 1174 Fontanelle Road in Casey, Iowa
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I would love to hear from you! Have you heard of the Slayton Rock? Do you break for roadside attractions?
[…] Slayton Rock: Weighing in at 500,000 pounds and standing more than 16 feet high, it took Don and Betty Slayton 3,000 horsepower in the fall of 1999 to move the gigantic boulder from their nearby field. Now it’s a great place to stretch your legs and pose for a photo opp. […]
Traveling the back roads of Iowa I ran into this big,huge,gigantic rock as I drove by doing 40 plus.I looked to my right and holy moly..I slamed on my semi brakes and backed up..Took my picture of it and shared my picture and the location… Thanks for the information.
It definitely does sneak up on you! I’m so glad that my post provided some helpful information. Thanks so much for reading!
We stumbled upon this by accident while on a bike ride yesterday. Caught us completely off guard. We stopped and took photos and the man who owns the farm came out to chat with us. A good diversion on our ride