One of the biggest downsides to being located so close to Las Vegas, Nevada is that regardless of what is offered as a standalone territory it’s all overshadowed by the world’s biggest gambling Mecca. This has a positive effect on tourism in most cases, as most people travel to the area and find places like Sunrise Manor on their own, but it also results in a serious lack of identity.

Sunrise Manor is a census-designated place on the outskirts of Las Vegas, located within Clark County, Nevada. This means that it’s not technically its own city; it’s just a designed part of Las Vegas. However, if Sunrise Manor were to ever be incorporated, it would become one of the largest cities in the entire state.

Sunrise Manor is currently best known for two things: its immediate proximity to the city of Las Vegas, and its place at the seat of Frenchman Mountain. With a population of almost 200,000, Sunrise Manor is definitely a popular location to live, with plenty of hotels, restaurants, parks and upscale neighborhoods.

Despite the looming casino resorts and the overall allure of Sin City, most people who visit Sunrise Manor do so to visit the wholly unique Frenchman Mountain, pictured. This mountain is a geographical anomaly, as it’s not part of any conjoining mountain range. It’s a standalone mountain surrounded by flat and dry land.

The Rockies and every range within were formed when two large tectonic plates collided millions of years ago, pushing the group upwards. Frenchman Mountain, on the other hand, was formed from a fault that elevated the rocky surface. The rocks on Frenchman Mountain are the same types of rocks found at the very bottom of the Grand Canyon.

There are many interesting aspects of this unique mountain. For starters, America’s oldest rock, Vishnu Schist, is located at the bottom. This rock is estimated to be over 2 billion years old, formed when the Earth was a harsh, lifeless place. It’s also the location of the Great Unconformity.

At first glance, the Great Unconformity may read like it’s one of the Las Vegas’ many festivals. However, it’s a geological term. Many “unconformities” can be found around the globe. This is where two layers of rock are present and each measure a drastically different age, meaning a huge gap of time is missing.

Sunrise Manor’s Great Unconformity displays rocks at the top of 550 million years old and upwards of 2 billion years at the bottom with nothing in between. This means over 1.2 billion years are accounted for, or roughly a quarter of the Earth’s age.

There are many other locations located in Sunrise Manor, although a lot of them are attributed to Vegas since Sunrise is a CDP and not a legitimate city. You can find the Nevada State Museum, Madame Tussauds, the Mini Grand Prix Family Fun Center, and many other locations in Sunrise Manor.