Over the last 4 years, we’ve taken Interstate 580 to take us to Interstate 5, so many, many times. And during those drives, I had noticed an area that was filled with what looked like mini-hillocks on the eastern side of the Diablo Range. Every time I passed that way and set eyes on those strange mounds beside I-580, I was intrigued. I wondered if they were natural formations.
They reminded me of the drumlins I had learned about in geography class in school, a long, long time ago. I remember Ms. Nalini telling us that land with drumlins looked like a ‘basket of eggs’ from above. And for a long time, I wondered if this was that.
It took me a while to have some pictures of the area, as we’d be speeding down that highway and I’d think about it only when I saw them and before I knew it, we’d have passed the area.
I finally managed some pictures of it. They are drive-by shots and aren’t the best but now that we’ve gotten this far, let me show them to you.
This is how those mounds look when this part of California gets all dry in the summer, and goes on to look like that in fall.
In the winter you have some green and attractive-looking hummocks, here.
I tried to find out more about this and all I could learn is that these mounds here were not naturally created. I hear they might be tailings — remains of mining done around here, a long time ago. Another piece of reading I did tells me these are remains from brick production.
So the one thing I know is that they are manmade features; made from dumping something in this undeveloped area. Would you have some knowledge to share with me? Have you seen anything like this? What might it be?
If you would like to see it/ hope to see it, look for it as you drive south on I-580 and you will come across this ground of mounds on the right side near the Corral Hollow exit. Look out for the board marking the exit. You might want to keep your cameras/phone cameras ready.
Here’s an aerial shot/ a Google maps 3d image of the area —
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They are a mystery. Quite a coincidence that you should posts these photos as I was looking at mounds yesterday from the East of England. I will be posting about them next week.
Oh is it?
I’m interested!! I’d love to come by your post and see what I can learn there.
Thank you so much. 🙂
We have these in Thurston County, Washington, too. No-one is entirely certain what caused them, but scientists generally believe they’re related to the retreat of the glaciers 10,000 years ago.
Nice post!
Robin
Rusty Ring: Reflections of an Old-Timey Hermit
I’d love to see them.
Oh! I see. Aren’t they fascinating?!
Thank you for sharing that info.
Thank you, Robin. And welcome here. 🙂
Oh wow! I just looked it up, Robin.
That’s quite a large area. I’m glad the Mima mounds are protected.
I’d love to go check it out. I see it’s not very far from I-5 (and Olympia).
Thanks a ton! 🙂
Wow, interesting! And kinda beautiful, too.
Aren’t they?!
…especially in the winter when it’s all green. 🙂
Thank you, Iris. 🙂
It almost looks like some of the landscape I saw in Iceland, except for the fact that you say these are man made.
That’s what my reading tells me but then again, I came across 2 theories and don’t really know if there are more.
Thank you for coming this way, Amy.
fascinating – I’d love to know what they are too
I wish I knew for sure. Chances are that they are manmade. 🙂
This is all very interesting to me. The overhead google shots show them all lined up. I would think that would indicate they were manmade. If so, what a mess!!!
Interesting indeed. They are pretty well lined up but then so are several natural ones.
These are most probably manmade ones. I thought they oddly worked with the landscape, here. 😀
Nice to see you here, Yogi. Thank you for stopping by. 🙂
The mounds look really nice. It would have been nicer if it was a natural formation like drumlins. I enjoyed seeing these pics nonetheless.
I agree — it would have been nicer that way.
However, I’m glad I kind-of got an idea about these strange things along the highway. Now I want to know — for sure. 😁😁
Thank you, Shiju. 🙂
We have large ones here in New Zealand that we call ‘beehives’ that are caused from the volcano eruption many hears ago. They are quite intriguing to see in that size!
Thanks for sharing your link at ‘My Corner of the World’ this week!
Oh wow! I’d love to see that sometime. I’m going to look up some pictures of those beehives, for now.
Thank you so much for the info, Betty. Places like this fascinate me. 🙂
Thank you so much for hosting.
Have a lovely new week. 🙂
Interesting! Wish they were natural formation.
Alle?
Seriously — I was so so curious about this place. I’m happy to know what I now know. But I’d like to know for sure. I’m going to keep my eyes open for more info on these mounds. Too much, eh?😬
Thank you, Nomad. 🙂
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Thank you for investigating. I hope that whatever’s under those mounds is safe. Maybe someone at nearby university might know something.