Click here to see a collection of modern and historic images of grand staircase escalante national monument. Deep within this vast and austere landscape, the anasazi and fremont cultures made contact in the period ad 9501100, leaving behind rock art panels, occupation sites. The alternating configuration of cliffs, terraces, and slopes is due to the varied erosion rates of different rock types. Escalante interagency visitor center 2020 all you need. The geology consists of 6,000 feet of wellexposed, layered sedimentary rocks that are between about 65 million and 200 million years old, a basalt flow about one million years old, and thin surficial cover. The grand staircase is an immense sequence of sedimentary rock layers that stretch south. Grand staircase escalante national monument utah all. A new golden age utah s peak for dinosaur discoveries ended in the 1920s but recent finds have the state on the cusp of another boom national park service.
Things to do near escalante interagency visitor center. Ive read almost all utah geology books aimed at the general reader, and. Grand staircase escalante the story behind the scenery. Age and travel have a way of tricking me back to geology. Pdf geology of grand staircaseescalante national monument. Pollock geology of grand staircaseescalante national monument, utah the boundary between the grand staircase and kaiparowits basin sections is the cockscomb, a series of hogbacks along the east kaibab monocline, where strata are folded sharply downward to the east. Bryce canyon national park grand staircase national monument geology. Grand canyon, zion, and bryce canyon national parks and the grand staircase. Utah geologic formations overview map these formation descriptions are excerpts from herbert e. Grand staircase volume published utah geological survey. See pictures of zion, bryce canyon, canyonlands and arches national parks, just to.
The grand staircaseescalante national monument, utah is an area of plateaus, sandstone canyon, unique rock formations and cliffs in southern utah. Geology of the grand staircaseescalante national monument. The inspiration for is the beauty and unsurpassed geologic exposures of utah and the colorado plateau. Award winning book about the grand staircase escalante national monument gsenm. The photography and design of this book are outstanding and remains the definitive book on the gsenm. In the 1870s, geologist clarence dutton first conceptualized this. Roadside geology of utah s 65 road guides traverse the state s major thoroughfares as well as its dusty, sleepy, winding twolane highways. Geology of grand staircaseescalante national monument, utah. Part of a supersequence of rock units called the grand staircase, the formations exposed in the zion and kolob area. View from utah highway 12 of grand staircaseescalante national monument. The impressive scale and color of the grand staircase geology makes it a spectacular natural phenomenon which draws thousands of visitors each year. Unlike most popular guidebooks, this book doesnt just focus on famous landmarks. Grand staircase book details monuments paleontological wonders november 12, 20 in dinosaurs, geology news, news releases by utah geological survey. Complete guide to escalante grand staircase and escalante utah.
Fillmore encourages exploration by devoting the first half of the book to a description of utah s general geologic setting, giving readers the background they need to understand the geology along any canyon hike or plateau bike ride. A major effort in the new century has documented over 2,000 new vertebrate fossil sites, provided new radiometric dates, and identified five new genera of ceratopsids, two new species of hadrosaur, a probable new genus of hypsilophodontid, new. Grand staircase volume published november 6, 20 in dinosaurs, geology news by utah geological survey the ugss martha hayden, don deblieux, and jim kirkland with their complimentary copies of the volume. The grand staircaseescalante national monument is the location of one of the bestknown terrestrial records for the late cretaceous. Geology of the grand staircaseescalante national monument, utah several miles out from the utah town of kanab, all five stair steps of the grand staircaseescalante national monument can be seen. Pollock geology of grand staircaseescalante national monument, utah the boundary between the grand staircase and kaiparowits. The information is old and in many cases outdated, but they still contain some great work and are offered here primarily for historical purposes. The geology of the zion and kolob canyons area includes nine known exposed formations, all visible in zion national park in the u. Willard marriott library 295 south 1500 east, suite 5400 salt lake city, ut 84112. Along with hike descriptions, the book provides information on the geology. Ive read almost all utah geology books aimed at the general reader. The paria river and its tributaries have carved out buttes, mesas and canyons unlike any found anywhere else in the world. Grand staircaseescalante national monument flickr album the monument is an outstanding biological resource, spanning five lifezones from lowlying desert to coniferous forest.
It covers a variety of topics from geology to history. We traveled to the visitors center in kanab, utah from our hotel in page, az. Grand staircaseescalante national monument a delawaresized museum of sedimentary erosion that walks you down through a 200millionyearold staircase of animals thats us. The grand staircase is a series of five steps rising about 5,500 feet 1,675 metres across the southwestern part of the monument. Landforms of southern utah a photographic journey of the natural wonders of southern utah. Grand staircaseescalante, the story behind the scenery, leads the reader on an expedition through the science, geology, biology and history of this intriguing national monument. Utahs grand staircase leads back in time to dinosaur shangrila a segment of a duckbilled dinosaurs tail, embedded in sandstone, found in an extraordinary part of utahs grand staircase. Map showing the locations of the classic geologic sites numbers within grand staircaseescalante national monument in southern utah.
The grand staircase is an immense sequence of sedimentary rock. In addition to highways 12 and 89, there are 959 miles of open road in the grand staircase. Browse 1,7 grand staircase escalante national monument stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Geology of the grand staircaseescalante national monument, utah.
Consider purchasing one or two to help insure a great trip. Brigham young university geology studies special publication 7. The grand staircaseescalante national monument in utah is the location of one of the bestknown terrestrial records for the late cretaceous. When jo, tom, and lois, california friends, suggested that we take a road trip to include visits to zion, bryce canyon, mesa verde and grand canyon national parks. The western section offers technicolor cliffs of vermilion, white, gray and pink sandstone exposing 200 million years of geology. Utahs grand staircase leads back in time to dinosaur. However, many landscapes are out of equilibrium over millennial time scales due to tectonic and climatic forcing. In the grand staircaseescalante national monument and the glen canyon national recreation area, new edition by rudi lambrechtse the grand staircaseescalante national monument covers 1. A road log and guide for public school teachers geological society of america 2002 rocky mountain section annual meeting, cedar city, utah 1011 may 2002 larry e. Erosion rates and patterns in a transient landscape, grand. The cockscomb at right runs along cottonwood canyon road. Grand staircase escalante national monument stratigraphy. The toadstools of grand staircaseescalante national. Here are some useful website links for researching the awesome this is one time that word is used appropriately southern utah.
Grand staircaseescalante roads pristine and remote describes the roadways within the grand staircase escalante national monument. Camping, rv parks, campgrounds grand staircase nm, utah. Grand staircase geological feature, utah, united states. Bryce canyon national park nature and geology the grand staircase public domain text. Lace up your boots and sample fiftynine of the finest trails in southern utahs grand staircaseescalante national monument and the stunning 1. The books have been set aside for all to read and enjoy in. Travel books, guides and maps that may be helpful in planning your trip to the grand staircase nm area are listed below. With fresh prose and more than 300 color photos, maps, and figures to boot, you too will become expert at reading utah s rocks. Southern utah travel information on the north rim grand canyon, zion national park, lake powell, kanab and bryce canyon nation park visit the heart of the parks.
Grand staircase escalante national monument spans the spectacular grand staircase of cliffs and terraces, the rugged kaiparowits plateau, and the wonders of the escalante river canyons. Geology of the grand canyon area grand staircaseescalante national monument. Grand staircaseescalante national monument publications. A classic portion of the staircase is within the western part of the grand staircase escalante national monument in southern utah. A toadstool is a spirelike feature with a boulder perched atop a pedestal rock, like a mushroom, or toadstool. The geology of the parks, monuments, and wildlands of.
A road log and guide for public school teachers geological society of america 2002 rocky mountain section annual meeting, cedar city, utah larry e. Harder rocks, such as sandstone and limestone, erode slowly and make up the cliffs and terraces. Rock names dont interest me but weathering, anticline, synclines, tectonic forces do. Books about history heart of the desert wild, greer chesser. Highway 89 from johnson canyon to the cockscomb, but essentially extend along the utah arizona boundary from washington county, utah to the colorado river at lees ferry. The late cretaceous of southern utah documents this major stepping stone toward a synthesis of the ecology and evolution of the late cretaceous ecosystems of western north america. Grand staircase escalante national monument stock pictures. Did you know that bryce canyon is geologically part of the grand staircasethe same staircase that is part of the escalantegrand staircase national monument.
The grand staircaseescalante national monument covers 1. The monuments resources and remote character provide extraordinary opportunities for visitors, geologists, paleontologists, archeologists, historians, and. Prior fieldwork confirmed the richness of the area, but a major effort begun in the new century has documented over 2,000 new vertebrate fossil sites, provided new radiometric dates, and identified five new genera of ceratopsids, two new species of hadrosaur, a. Geology of parks, monuments, and wildlands of southern utah u. Utahs grand circle of parks and monuments road scholar. The grand staircase of the colorado plateau north america is a transient landscape. Grand staircaseescalante national monument covers 1. As a starting point, check out the trip advisor article on touring the grand circle that emphasizes southern utah. With thorough descriptions and detailed maps, this book leads you to both wellknown and littleused trails, and it includes several backpack trips. Visions of the grand staircase escalante u of u press. Glendale, utah, located on highway 89, northeast of zion national park, connects the. The toadstools of grand staircaseescalante national monument, utah offers a colorful, surreal setting just a short walk from your car.
Hiking the escalante u of u press university of utah. Highway 89 defines the southern border and highway 12 accesses the northern side. The grand staircase national monument can be divided into three main sections. The grand staircase is spectacular and contains the most extensive network of slot canyons in utah. Find out in the geology of the parks, monuments, and wildlands of southern utah. This site tries to compliment the incredible geologic exposures of the colorado plateau by supplying articles, information, products and data which will aid those seeking to understand the geology that makes utah amazing. Grand staircase wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Roadside geology of utah by felicie williams, lucy chronic, and halka chronic.
Until recently, i didnt realize how all three of our national parks, bryce canyon, zion park, and the grand canyon are connected and relate to the the grand staircase national monument. Cosmogenic 10 be concentrations in alluvial sediment are widely used to infer longterm, catchmentaveraged erosion rates based on the assumption that the landscape is in massflux steady state. Together, these formations represent about 150 million years of mostly mesozoicaged sedimentation in that part of north america. Grand staircaseescalante national monument bureau of.
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