Tag Archive for: geological

Moki Dugway road, San Juan County, Utah
Photographer: Michael Vanden Berg; ©2011

Moki Dugway road ascends 1,100 feet in about three miles connecting the valley floor to Cedar Mesa, Utah Route 261 northwest of Mexican Hat, San Juan County.

“Spot the Rock” is back this week with these towering giants. Can you guess where in Utah this feature is found?

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Looking Glass Rock, San Juan County, Utah
Photographer: Taylor Boden; ©2011

The window of Looking Glass Rock eroded through the Jurassic-age Entrada Sandstone, northern San Juan County.

La Sal Mountains, Grand and San Juan Counties, Utah
Photographer: Mark Milligan; ©2011

Mount Tukuhnikivatz, a prominent peak in the La Sal Mountains, is an erosional remnant of magma that rose from depth (but never reached the surface) about 28 million years ago, forcing through and pushing up the area’s layered sedimentary rocks. View from the U.S. Forest Service Warner Lake guard station.

Wasatch Range, Utah County, Utah
Photographer: Adam McKean; © 2011

A colorful mosaic of fall colors on Provo Peak (11,068 feet), composed of Mississippian- and Pennsylvanian-age rock layers, Wasatch Range, Utah County.

Ogden Canyon, Weber County, Utah
Photographer: Ken Krahulec; ©2011

Large Z-shaped fold of Mississippian rock layers in upper Ogden Canyon, just below Pineview Reservoir, Weber County.

It’s time again for another round of “Spot the Rock”! Can you guess where this interesting sight is located?

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UPDATE: Location Revealed
This “Spot the Rock” photo was taken in northwestern most part of Utah, at the southern end of the Grouse Creek Mountains, Box Elder County. As was correctly guessed it is in the area of the Devils Playground.

Devils Playground consists of Tertiary-age (approximately 38 million years old) granitic rock formed from a cooling magma body that intruded overlying Paleozoic (400 to 300 million years old) sedimentary rocks. Known as the Emigrant Pass pluton, this intrusion covers an area of approximately 10 square miles. For more information including directions, visit our GeoSights article-http://geology.utah.gov/surveynotes/geosights/devils_playground.htm

Ferron Mountain, Wasatch Plateau, Sanpete County, Utah
Photographer: Greg McDonald; ©2011

Fall colors at the base of striped layers of the Tertiary-age Flagstaff Limestone, southeastern end of Ferron Mountain, Wasatch Plateau, Sanpete County.

Mount Timpanogos, Wasatch Range, Utah County, Utah
Photographer: Grant Willis; ©2011

White traces of early snow dust prominent sandstone and limestone rock layers on Mount Timpanogos and contrast with lower-elevation yellow-tinted aspen trees. The sedimentary rocks are the Pennsylvanian-age Bear Canyon Member of the Oquirrh Formation that have been transported eastward over 30 miles on thrust faults.

Hope you all enjoy the President’s Day holiday! Here’s your photo for the day.


Wellsville Mountains near Honeyville, Utah
Photographer: Chris DuRoss; © 2011

Limestone clasts deposited by a debris flow (fast-moving mixture of sediment and water) at the base of the Wellsville Mountains near Honeyville. Debris flows form as saturated hillslope sediments move or are eroded, and commonly occur in areas burned by wildfires.