Most geological formations are recognizable to laymen by their color, and by the way they erode. The sandstone of the Navajo Formation is usually whi
Most geological formations are recognizable to laymen by their color, and by the way they erode. The sandstone of the Navajo Formation is usually white, sometimes pink, and weathers in cross-checked, pillowy shapes with the swirls still apparent from the time it was windblown sand. It is an early Jurassic formation, laid down a little less than 200 million years ago when this part of Utah was at the same latitude as the Sahara Desert is today, with a similar climate. It is surprisingly erosion-resistant for sandstone, and where it exists it is usually abundant as everything above it has probably eroded away. This view is on the Singletree Falls trail near Torrey, Utah. The Henry Mountains, laccoliths that arose a mere 30 to 20 million years ago, are in the distance.
Size: 4256px × 2832px
Location: Utah 12, Escalante, UT, United States
Photo credit: © Ken Barber / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: formation, geology, hike, jurassic, laccolith, navajo, sandstone, trail, travel, utah
