Mysterious monolith pops up in desert near Las Vegas

Stephanie Overton
·2 min read
43

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Remember when mysterious monoliths were popping up all over the world in 2020, including in Downtown Las Vegas? Well it happened again.

According to a post on X by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, one of those monoliths was spotted by Las Vegas Search & Rescue near Gass Peak just north of the Las Vegas valley over the weekend.

“We see a lot of weird things when people go hiking like not being prepared for the weather, not bringing enough water… but check this out!” the post read, accompanied by pictures of the monolith.

  • A mysterious monolith was spotted by Las Vegas Search & Rescue near Gass Peak just north of the Las Vegas valley over the weekend. (LVMPD Search and Rescue)
    A mysterious monolith was spotted by Las Vegas Search & Rescue near Gass Peak just north of the Las Vegas valley over the weekend. (LVMPD Search and Rescue)
  • A mysterious monolith was spotted by Las Vegas Search & Rescue near Gass Peak just north of the Las Vegas valley over the weekend. (LVMPD Search and Rescue)
    A mysterious monolith was spotted by Las Vegas Search & Rescue near Gass Peak just north of the Las Vegas valley over the weekend. (LVMPD Search and Rescue)

Starting in November 2020, monoliths began appearing around the world, seemingly without anyone noticing who put them there. The first one was found on Nov. 18 in an extremely rural part of Utah near Moab, captivating the world’s attention for days.

At least, until another popped up in Romania less than 10 days later. Then another in California in less than a week.

Eventually, the monoliths made their way to Downtown Las Vegas, where one was erected in the middle of the Fremont Street Experience.

In total, 23 documented monoliths were found around the world between Nov. 18 and Dec. 8. A comprehensive list of the details of each monolith was compiled into a Google document.

But just as quickly as the monolith craze appeared, it was gone. That is, until now. As of noon on Monday, no information is known about the origin of

The LVMPD also added tips for being safe while hiking in the desert, using the acronym TRAIL:

  • Tell someone where you intend to hike or climb & when you are expecting to return home.

  • Research the weather forecast for the area before you go.

  • Aid and additional food and water! AKA, bring plenty of water (double what you think you’ll need), food, & a first aid kit.

  • Inclement weather gear & minimal overnight provisions (hot or cold)

  • Light: Bring a light source, completely charged phone, & consider a P.L.B. (Personal Locator Beacon).

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