Have you ever noticed—or climbed—Central Park's impressive rock formations? Although it's true that the Park is man-made, the rocks that you see are not. They are exposed portions of ancient bedrock – solid rock that lies under soil and other loose surface materials.

Yes, the massive rock formations scattered throughout Central Park are 100% real and represent some of the oldest geological history in New York City. These outcrops are made of Manhattan Schist, a metamorphic rock that formed roughly 450 million years ago when the continents of Africa and North America collided. The visible grooves and smooth surfaces on rocks like Umpire Rock and Summit Rock were carved by the movement of the Wisconsin Glacier about 20,000 years ago. When Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux designed the park in the 1850s, they intentionally left these ancient bedrock sections exposed to create a "picturesque" and rugged landscape that contrasted with the city's rising grid. In fact, many of the park's iconic structures, like Belvedere Castle, were actually built using schist that was excavated directly from the park's grounds during construction.