Monolith discovered in California, similar to metal structure found in Utah

Another monolith has been spotted – this time in Southern California, and it appears similar to the one discovered in the Utah desert.

It’s unclear who placed the monolith on a hiking trail in Atascadero, KEYT-TV and The Atascadero News reported Wednesday. The tall, silver structure drew some hikers to the area after photos were posted on social media.

Connor Allen, news correspondent for the Paso Robles Press and Atascadero News, shared photos of the structure, adding it was located "at the top of Pine Mountain in Atascadero!!"

The Atascadero News also reported that unlike the Utah monolith, the "Atascadero obelisk was not attached to the ground, and could be knocked over with a firm push."

At least two other monoliths have been spotted elsewhere. A similar structure that officials said was made of riveted plates of stainless steel was reportedly toppled in Utah by a group of people who said “leave no trace."

In Romania, a journalist with a local publication reported a monolith also disappeared shortly after being found on a hill. A local official said that structure was placed without permission, as well.

Two adventure sportsmen, Utah residents Andy Lewis and Sylvan Christensen, stepped forward to say they were part of the team who removed the Utah monolith. They posted a 23-second video showing the monolith, once embedded into the rock, being dismantled, loaded onto a wheel barrow and carried away at night.

The structure had been placed without permission on public land. Visitors left behind a mess of human waste and debris, parking cars on vegetation as well, officials said.

“Right after it had fallen over and made a loud thud, one of them said, ‘This is why you don’t leave trash in the desert,’” Colorado photographer Ross Bernards wrote in an Instagram post.

Contributing: Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY; The Associated Press

'If you think we’re proud, we’re not': Meet the outdoor sportsmen who say they removed the Utah monolith

More: Photographers captured removal of the mysterious Utah monolith. Here's why it vanished.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California monolith appears in Atascadero, similar to Utah monolith