If you’ve driven on California’s Ventura Freeway between Pasadena and Glendale, you’ve certainly noticed Eagle Rock looming over the neighborhood that shares its namesake. However, did you notice the Eagle?

The conglomerate rock formation features a massive indentation along its face. During the right time of day, when the sun hits the rock at the perfect angle, a shadow is cast on the indentation that resembles an eagle in mid-flight. It appears as though the eagle is flying straight out of the rock itself. 

Eagle Rock was originally known as La Piedra Gorda (Fat Rock), but many locals preferred to call it Eagle Rock, which lent a much nicer name to the neighborhood emerging under the rock’s playful shadows. During the early 20th-century, Eagle Rock was the site of yearly Easter services, held at the very top of the massive rock.