Sand Quarry -- Western North Dakota -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA

On the road between Trenton, North Dakota, and Fairview, Montana, there is lots of oil activity, including several new wells with flaring.

Off to the east of state highway 1804 is a huge sand quarry:

I tried to get closer, but I couldn't. But even if I had, I doubt that I would have seen much more. Off to the right in the lower picture, you can see a couple of pyramids.

Remember, you can click on the photos which will open in another window and you can zoom in on features you might not otherwise see.

In this immediate area, they are also building the Trenton crude-by-rail facility, a huge oval track best seen from the air. A photograph would not have captured the immensity of that project. At this point, the topsoil has been removed, the road bed is in, the ties are being laid, and one can definitely see what the project will eventually look like.