Part C

Sedimentary Rocks in Geologic Maps

Sedimentary rocks are abundant in the desert Southwest, including much of Arizona and Utah. For this and other reasons, northern Arizona and southern Utah are some of the best places in the world to study sedimentary rocks.

Geologic Map of Arizona

Geologic Map of Zion NP

Figure 7-15. The Geologic Map of Arizona (left) and the Geologic Map of Zion National Park (right).


Geologic Map of Arizona

 Sedimentary rocks are abundant in Arizona and form a wide range of landscapes, especially in the Colorado Plateau of northern Arizona and southern Utah (see Figure 7-16).

Sedona

Monument Valley

Figure 7-16. Sedimentary rocks highlight iconic locations in northern Arizona and southern Utah.

The Schnebly Hill Formation and Coconino Sandstone compose the famous landscapes of Sedona (left).
The Halgaito Shale, De Chelly Sandstone, and Shinarump Conglomerate form the classic buttes of Monument Valley (right).

 

Answer Quiz Me! questions C36 through C40 using the Geologic Map of Arizona (see the PDF link below).

Geologic Map of Arizona

PDF

 

Explanation of Geologic Map Units

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Quiz Me! / C36

 

Quiz Me! question icon

Quiz Me! / C37

 

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Quiz Me! / C38 

 

 

Geologic Map

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Quiz Me! / C39

 

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Quiz Me! / C40

 

 


Geologic Map of Zion National Park

One of Utah's many national parks, Zion is located in southwestern Utah and includes a spectacular landscape of massive cliffs and deep slot canyons (see Figure 7-17). Mesozoic sedimentary rock underlies most of the area, with the Jurassic Navajo Sandstone being the most striking. This highly cross bedded quartz arenite (sandstone) unit is several thousand feet thick and is the main cliff-former in the area. The Virgin River and its tributaries form impressive slot canyons in the sedimentary layering, including at places like The Narrows.

Navajo Sandstone cross bedding

Virgin River Narrows

Figure 7-17. The sedimentary terrain of Zion National Park.

The massive, highly cross bedded Navajo Sandstone dominates the park's landscape (left).
The narrows of the Virgin River cut deep into the sedimentary layering (right).

 

Answer Quiz Me! questions C41 through C45 using the Geologic Map of Zion National Park (see the PDF link below).

Geologic Map of Zion National Park

PDF

  

Explanation

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Quiz Me! question icon

Quiz Me! / C42

 

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Quiz Me! / C43

 

 

Geologic Map

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Quiz Me! / C44

 

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Quiz Me! / C45