LAS VEGAS — A tall, rectangular mirrored structure emerged in the Nevada desert recently. How it got there and why is a mystery.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department spotted the monolith over the weekend of June 15 along a hiking trail at Gass Peak in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, about 48 miles from the Las Vegas Strip.
In a social media post, the department shared photos of the monolith and asked, “HOW did it get up there??”
The monolith, which looks similar to others that appeared nationwide in 2020, prompted police to share tips for safely navigating hiking trails “while the internet gets to work on this mystery.”
Here’s what we know about the monolith.
Mystery monolith in Las Vegas
The monolith was first spotted over the weekend, puzzling authorities who had no idea how the tall, metallic, mirrored structure got to a trail along a wildlife refuge an hour north of Las Vegas.
Its emergence led the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to advise hikers to use caution when exploring the outdoors, and to follow these safety tips:
- Tell someone where you intend to hike and when you expect to return home.
- Research the weather forecast for the area before you go.
- Bring a first aid kit, food and plenty of water; police suggest bringing double what you think you’ll need.
- Pack inclement weather gear and minimal overnight provisions (hot or cold).
- Bring a light source, a completely charged cellphone and consider a personal locator beacon (PLB)
What is a monolith?
Monoliths are large obelisk or column-like formations, usually made of stone or rock.
The Gass Peak monolith, which appears to be made from metal, looks similar to other monoliths that mysteriously sprang up around the world in 2020, starting with one installed in a remote area in Utah that was later removed. Another appeared on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas.
Others appeared in the United Kingdom, Romania and Australia, to name a few.
The mysterious origins of the monoliths led some to think they were brought by UFOs.
Some linked the monoliths to a New Mexico-based art collective called The Most Famous Artist, which did not take credit for the monoliths — despite offering an “Authentic Alien Monolith” for sale on its website for $45,000.
By MICHAEL SALERNO/AZ Central