Photos for Canyonlands National Park and
vicinity
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Canyonlands Photo Overview
The Colorado River from Dead
Horse Point State Park. In this photo the entire section from the late
Pennsylvanian into the Jurassic can be seen. The river flows through a canyon
cut into Pennsylvanian/Permian strata, and the lowermost flat area above the
river is at the level of the Shafer Limestone (part of the lower Permian Cutler
Formation). The next flat area (going up from the river) is at the level of the
White Rim Sandstone. Between the Shafer and the White Rim are units that are
equivalent to the Cedar Mesa Sandstone and Organ Rock Formation to the west.
The White Rim is overlain unconformably by the Moenkopi Formation that is in
turn unconformably overlain by the Chinle Formation. Above the Chinle, the
cliff forming Wingate Sandstone is present and forms the prominent red-brown
cliffs near the top of the photo. The uppermost unit in the photo is the Navajo
Sandstone (white color) which is separated from the Wingate by the Kayenta
Formation (difficult to see in this photo).
The Shafer Trail
(named after members of one of the earliest families to settle the town of Moab)
travels down through the Navajo, Kayenta, Wingate, Chinle, Moenkopi and Cutler
Formations. It is an excellent way to travel through the section, but you will
see the most if you walk. You can see the trail in the farthest distance in
this photo. Photo 5 looks down from the top of the trail to the major
switchbacks.
Green River from
Island in the Sky. The prominent cliffs are topped by the White Rim Sandstone -
a formation that was named for these exposures along the "White Rim"
of Island in the Sky.
The
"Candlestick" from an overlook between the Green River overlook and Grand
View Point. The "candle" is composed of Jurassic Wingate Sandstone,
and the "holder" is composed of Triassic Chinle Formation.
Switchbacks on the
Shafer Trail as seen from near the top of the Shafer Trail.
Exposures of the
Jurassic Wingate Sandstone along Highway 313 near Highway 191. Here the Wingate
is uncharacteristically unjointed and is lighter in color than it is in most of
the Canyonlands area.
Exposures of the
Jurassic Kayenta Formation along Highway 313 near Highway 191. These rocks are
easy to reach along the north side of the road.
The Moab Fault,
looking north from the road into Arches National Park. The fault has a dominant
vertical component to its motion and the right (east) side is downdropped
relative to the left (west) side. On the west side of the fault from top to
bottom are the Wingate, Chinle, Moenkop, and Cutler Formations. On the right
side of the fault, from top to bottom, the Moab Tongue, Slickrock, and Dewey
Bridge Members of the Entrada, and the Navajo Sandstone are present.
Cross-bedding in the eolian
Navajo Sandstone at milepost 17 along Highway 313.
Cross-bedding in
the Navajo Sandstone.
The Dewey Bridge
and Slick Rock Members of the Entrada Sandstone. The Dewey Bridge Member
contains large-scale wavy bedding (like that seen in the Hoskinini Formation in
White Canyon). The Slick Rock Member contains the arches for which Arches
National Park is known. Is there any relation between the wavy bedding and the
formation of the arches?
Dewey Bridge and
Slick Rock Members of the Entrada Sandstone.