Saturday, June 7, 2008

Three parks in one day!







Arches Nat’l Park was first on today’s to do list. The Navajo and Entrada sandstones are the primary rocks seen in the park. The fins and arches are in the Entrada, formed as evaporite deposits beneath upwelled and caused the overlying rocks to bow upward. This caused the upper layers (Entrada) spread forming the “fins” that weathering and erosion modified into arches and windows.

The next park is Canyonlands which again includes the Navajo along with formations beneath (Kayenta, Wingate, White Rim, Moenkopi…). This park illustrates the weathering and erosion processes that result in the entrenchment of the Green and Colorado Rivers that join inside the park.

The third park is Dead Horse Point State Park, which also gives a very good view of the entrenched Colorado River.

Tomorrow I’m heading for Boulder Colorado and passing through Rocky Mountain N.P.

No comments: