'Wizard Rock,' 1-ton boulder that disappeared from Arizona forest, 'magically' returns

A beloved 1-ton boulder in one of Arizona's national forests has "magically" returned after visitors reported it missing last month.

Wizard Rock, a black boulder with white quartz running through it, was reported missing from the Prescott National Forest by several residents last month, according to the United States Forest Service.

On Friday, a forest employee who was patrolling the Prescott Basin made the "surprising discovery" of the reappearance of the boulder.

It is unclear how the gargantuan rock was removed and returned without a trace. Permits are required to gather and remove most forest products, including rocks, minerals, firewood, plants and trees.

The rock is "special to the community," forest officials said.

"We are thrilled the Wizard Rock was returned, and are grateful that whoever took it was conscientious enough to give it back to the public," Sarah Clawson, district ranger for the Bradshaw Ranger District, said in a statement. "National Forests provide so many benefits to the American people, and when something like this happens, it highlights the intrinsic value of natural beauty in all forms."

Forest managers are considering moving the rock to a new location so that "its beauty and uniqueness can be more easily seen by visitors."