Attraction · Kodaikanal
Pillar Rocks
Three granite faces standing more than a hundred metres out of the shola forest seven kilometres from town — when the mist is not sitting exactly where they are.
Time needed45 minutes
Where7 km from town
HeightOver 100 m
FormationThree granite pillars
Best timeEarly morning
Also hereA small garden
About
Pillar Rocks
Seven kilometres west of Kodaikanal, three vertical granite faces rise more than a hundred metres out of the shola forest, standing close together with narrow gaps between them. They are the most striking natural formation in the Palani hills and the standard second stop of a Kodaikanal morning. There is a viewing area with a small garden laid out in front of them, and the whole visit takes about forty-five minutes. As with everything else on this plateau the variable is mist: the rocks sit at the edge of the escarpment and cloud coming up from the plains wraps them regularly, sometimes for the whole day. When it clears, the scale is genuinely impressive. When it does not, you are looking at a garden.
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What to See
What to see
Three rocks, a garden and a viewpoint. Forty-five minutes.
The rocks
- Three vertical granite faces standing over a hundred metres out of the forest, close together with narrow gaps between.
- The scale, which only reads properly when the mist is off them.
- The shola forest below and around, which is the native vegetation of the high Palanis.
The viewing area
- A small laid-out garden in front of the viewpoint, which is well kept and is where everybody waits.
- The railed viewpoint itself, which is the only place the formation is properly visible.
- Refreshment stalls at the entrance.
On the road
- Guna Cave, nearby, which is closed to entry and is viewed from outside.
- Green Valley View, a further viewpoint on the same road, which the packages name as an alternative.
- The drive itself, through shola and eucalyptus, which is pleasant.
Getting There
Getting there
Seven kilometres west of town on the road that carries most of Kodaikanal’s viewpoints.
From Kodaikanal
- About 7 km, twenty minutes by taxi, and there is no useful walk.
- A taxi for the morning taking in Coaker’s Walk, Bryant Park and this is the standard arrangement.
- The road continues to further viewpoints and a longer circuit is possible.
At the site
- Parking at the entrance and a short level walk to the viewpoint through the garden.
- A modest entry charge.
- It keeps daylight hours.
Combining it
- With Coaker’s Walk first thing and Bryant Park in between, which is the order both packages use.
- With Green Valley View on the same road.
- With the lake in the afternoon.
Best Time
When to visit
Early morning, in the dry months, and with realistic expectations about cloud.
Time of day
- As early as possible. The rocks are wrapped in cloud far more often later in the day.
- A clear window can last minutes; if it opens, look then rather than after the photograph.
- Late afternoon occasionally clears and is the second chance.
Time of year
- December to March is driest and clearest and is the best chance of seeing them properly.
- April to June is the season and is frequently misty.
- October and November bring the north-east monsoon and long periods of low cloud.
How long
- Forty-five minutes including the garden and the drive from the previous stop.
- Twenty minutes if the view is closed and you are not waiting.
- Longer if the cloud is moving and you decide to wait it out, which is often rewarded.
Visitor Intelligence
Visitor intelligence
A view that is genuinely spectacular perhaps half the time, and a garden the rest of it.
Expectations
- Cloud comes up from the plains and wraps the rocks regularly, sometimes all day. This is normal.
- If it is misty at Coaker’s Walk it will very likely be misty here; the two are on the same edge.
- Waiting fifteen minutes is often rewarded because the cloud moves.
Practicalities
- Warm layers. It is high, exposed and frequently damp.
- Photography is unrestricted but a phone struggles with the scale; the rocks read better to the eye.
- There is nothing to do here except look, so pair it rather than making it a trip of its own.
On the road
- Guna Cave nearby is closed to entry after fatal accidents and is viewed from outside only. Do not attempt to go in.
- Green Valley View is on the same road and is a reasonable substitute if the rocks are closed in.
- Vendors and photographers work the entrance area; a clear no is enough.
Access
- Parking is close and the walk to the viewpoint is short and broadly level through the garden.
- It is one of the more accessible viewpoints around Kodaikanal.
- There are a few steps and the surface is uneven in places.
Good to Know
Frequently asked
Three vertical granite faces standing more than a hundred metres out of the shola forest, close together with narrow gaps between them, about seven kilometres west of Kodaikanal. They are the most striking natural formation in the Palani hills. There is a railed viewpoint with a small laid-out garden in front of them, and the whole visit takes about forty-five minutes including the drive from the previous stop.
Perhaps half the time, and that is an honest estimate rather than a pessimistic one. The rocks sit at the edge of the escarpment and cloud coming up from the plains wraps them regularly, sometimes for a whole day. A useful rule: if it is misty at Coaker’s Walk it will very likely be misty here, since the two are on the same edge. Waiting fifteen minutes is often rewarded because the cloud moves fast.
As early in the morning as you can manage, in December to March, which is the driest and clearest window of the year. April to June is the main season and is frequently misty by mid-morning; October and November bring the north-east monsoon and long periods of low cloud. If a clear window opens it can last only minutes, so look first and photograph second.
Green Valley View, a further viewpoint the packages name as an alternative, and Guna Cave. The cave is closed to entry after fatal accidents and is viewed from outside only — that closure is enforced and should not be tested. The drive itself runs through shola and eucalyptus and is pleasant. A longer circuit taking in several viewpoints on the same road is possible if you have the morning.
It is the second or third stop of a standard morning, and both packages that come here use the same order: Coaker’s Walk at first light, Bryant Park after it, then the Pillar Rocks, with the lake taking the afternoon. Seven kilometres and about twenty minutes by taxi from town, with a taxi for the whole morning being the usual arrangement. There is no useful walking route.
Reasonably, and it is one of the more manageable viewpoints around Kodaikanal. Parking is close to the entrance and the walk to the railed viewpoint is short and broadly level through the garden, though there are a few steps and the surface is uneven in places. Take warm layers regardless: it is high, exposed and frequently damp even when the sun is out in town.
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