One of the most interesting features of the Stone Barn Savanna are the sandstone buttes and cliffs that seem to rise out of nowhere. These are a typical geologic feature of this region of Illinois, yet there are only a handful of nature parks where these can be seen. Fewer still, are places you can get up close to them to inspect and study them. Nachusa Grassland allows visitors to explore off the trails providing they don't climb the rocks.
This formation is one of the few freestanding buttes in the area, and it's easy enough to investigate up close. The layers and colors in the rock are quite captivating, and change with every turn of the head. This butte is on the edge of a flat clearing, making it a dividing feature between the hilly and flat areas of the park.
Additional sandstone cliffs dot the Stone Barn Savanna, some tall, some relatively short and crumbling, but all interesting to explore. We were able to walk up the grassy hills on the backsides of some, following animal trails through the prickly prairie roses. Careful to stay off of the rock, we were able to view vast areas of the woods and nearby grasslands.
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