The Geologic Story of Canyonlands National Park

A comprehensive guide explains the origin, composition, and structure of the canyon country, tracing sedimentary deposition in ancient seas, rivers, and dunes; later uplift and faulting; and subsequent erosion by the Colorado and Green rivers that carved canyons, mesas, buttes, arches, and spires. Stratigraphic columns, cross sections, and maps illustrate rock types, ages, and structural features such as anticlines, synclines, and salt-related deformation. The work also surveys archaeological evidence of prehistoric inhabitants, early exploration, and park history, and provides practical route descriptions and scenic viewpoints across districts like Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze, concluding with a concise geologic history and further reading.