It’s true what they say about a rock: Just because it’s one of a kind doesn’t mean it’s valuable. Not true for some formations in Colorado. Here’s a look at some of the state’s finest:

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

The national park brochure details the Song of the Gunnison: the water and wind rushing through the steep, deep canyon. Close your eyes and listen, the brochure advises, “mindful of loose rock that could send you sliding into the blackness.” Listen, and like the rock and sky, “the sound gently envelops you.”

Cathedral Spires

It appears huge grey shark teeth loom over Sky Pond in Rocky Mountain National Park. Sure enough, the highest among them is named Sharkstooth, scraping near 12,600 feet. Neighboring summits: Penknife, Jackknife and Saber.

Dinosaur National Monument

The National Park Service calls the geology “a feast for the mind and for the eye.” Dozens of colorful layers are streaked across the rock. Most famously, the stone encases remains of prehistoric beasts.

Flatirons

Boulder is spoiled with these angling beauties, providing the town’s timeless, iconic backdrop. The massive formations attract die-hard climbers, eager hikers and avid photographers.

Garden of the Gods

In 1879, Charles Elliott Perkins donated his land of red walls and towers to the city of Colorado Springs on the condition that it “be kept forever free to the public.” It’s a gift that keeps on giving.

Great Dikes

These granite outcrops radiate across La Veta’s foothills like spokes of a wheel or spikes on a dragon’s back. With names such as Devil’s Stairsteps, they put the “legends” in the Highway of Legends.

Wheeler Geologic Area

This set of spires, like a box of Crayola crayons, hides deep in southwest Colorado’s La Garita Wilderness. It’s only accessible via a harsh, four-wheel-drive road or a long, demanding hike.

Chalk Cliffs

Lower your eyes from the 14,000-foot Collegiate Peaks and you will notice a brush of white against Chaffee County’s splendid canvas. Geothermal waters have a role in the Chalk Cliffs’ coloration; they are indeed best envied from Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort.

Chimney Rock

The unmistakable pillar soars high on the mountains between Pagosa Springs and Durango. The national monument hosts tours throughout the summer, offering the chance to learn about the lore that lives there.

Colorado National Monument

Too many people keep driving west on Interstate 70 to Moab, Utah. Little do they know a similar, multicolored landscape awaits above Grand Junction. It can be explored by vehicle on Rim Rock Drive and by foot on trails such as Monument Canyon, which drops into the grandeur.

Dillon Pinnacles

These sentinels stand against Colorado’s biggest body of water, Blue Mesa Reservoir. You might want to get a closer look from the trail that wraps around them. And you might just imagine a creation story of deep time involving ash and lava.

— SETH BOSTER