TOPEKA (KSNT) - People exploring Kansas' outdoor spaces may have noticed some odd pink-hued boulders now and again that don't quite fit in with the landscape. So what are these rocks and how did they wind up in the Midwest? 27 News spoke with Tony Layzell, an assistant scientist with the Kansas G eological Survey (KGS), about the mystery boulders and rocks people might encounter that are scattered across the northeast portion of the state. Collectively recognized as "erratics," these rocks were dropped off in Kansas hundreds of years ago by ancient glaciers. Found an arrowhead in Kansas? Archaeologist urges you to leave it alone The KGS says these rocks and boulders were carried to Kansas from areas in Minnesota, South Dakota and Iowa. Most of the time, these rocks consist of a pinkish material called Sioux quartzite which separates them from the more common deposits of native sandstone you can find in Kansas. They can range in size from small pebbles to blocks as large as a house. (Photo Courtesy/Tony Layzell)(Photo Courtesy/Tony Layzell)(Photo Courtesy/Tony Layzell)(Photo Courtesy/Tony Layzell) Layzell said the majority of these interesting rocks can be found in the northeast part of Kansas which was the southernmost extent of the continental glaciers that existed during the Ice Age. He said the best place to look for them is along the Kansas River from Kansas City to Wamego. "One of the best places I know of is just south of Wamego, east of Highway 99, near Mount Mitchell," Layzell said. What is your favorite Kansas park? The KGS said some other, more exotic, forms of glacial erratics are found on occasion which are made of Lake Superior agate, Keweenawan volcanics, Duluth-area iron ore, native copper and catlinite that stand in stark contrast with native stones due to their special coloration. Layzell said he didn't know the exact reason why these rocks are called erratics but gave a few possible explanations. "I think one of the main reasons is that these boulders differ so much from the surrounding geologic material, which is typically glacial till," Layzell said. "Apparently, in a geologic context, the term dates back to a Swiss geologist in the late 1700s and is derived from the latin erratus “to wander.” I don’t know for sure if that’s  true, but it would make sense given where these boulders came from and how far they travelled. I’ve also heard jokes that they are locally called “leaverites” as in “leave-er-right” there." The KGS said catlinite, another type of erratic known as pipestone, was used by Native Americans to carve tobacco pipes and appears purple-red in color. Geologists have traced these rocks to the source in Minnesota, finding they were carried to Kansas by glaciers over the course of around 345 miles. You can learn more about how glaciers impacted Kansas by heading to the KGS website. What to do if you see a mountain lion in Kansas For more Kansas Outdoors, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf ...read more read less