Holy Mountain.
...urface, forming rock (The Enchanted Rock, Kennedy). 2. Somewhere around 10 million years ago Enchanted Rock finally appeared eventually standing at 1,845 feet above sea level (Enchanted Rock, TX). The height from base to summit is 325 feet making it the second largest granite dome in the United States, spanning one square mile in area (The Enchanted Rock, Kennedy). B. Enchanted Rock is surrounded by inselbergs – island mountains (The Enchanted Rock, Kennedy). The inselbergs, and Enchanted Rock itself, are composed of many different minerals, such as gold, silver, topaz and even quartz. The “island mountains” that surround Enchanted Rock are comprised of Turkey Peak, Freshman Mountain, Buzzard’s Roost, Flag Pole and the Little Dome. II. Atop these massive stones that were birthed from the core of the earth are some of the most delicate organisms. A. One of these is lichen, the slowest growing plant in the world. However, lichen is not one single plant, but two rolled up in one, a fungus and a green alga. Lichen grows in various colors, such as gray, green, black and even green (On Your Way). 1. Other vegetation that lives on and around Enchanted Rock is composed of the Hammock fern, the Basin bellflower and the Rock quillwort, all of which are considered, by the Smithsonian Institute, to be threatened of endangered (The Enchanted Rock, Kennedy). 2. Another highly overlooked creature is a very peculiar specimen, the fairy shrimp. These colorless, transparent shrimp live in the vernal pools amidst these great rocks. Vernal pools are, basically, weathered pits which gather moisture during the spring season, and during the dry season these invertebrates become dormant and resemble dust (On Your Way). III. While supporting such a delicate ecosystem, Enchanted Rock also served as an important region to the Native Americans that inhabited that territory. A. The Comanche had a great respect for this location. According to Comanche legend the reason for their deep-rooted respect was because of the mysterious “groaning” that exuded from th...