Dark Canyon Primitive Area, San Juan County, Utah
Photographer: Diane Menuz; © 2015
The stream in the lower section of Dark Canyon runs reddish brown following heavy morning rain. Sandstone of the Permian-age Cutler Group forms the canyon walls and limestone of the Pennsylvanian-age Honaker Trail Formation is exposed along the stream bed.
White Rim, Canyonlands National Park, San Juan County, Utah
Photographer: Tyler Knudsen; © 2015
Zion National Park, Washington County, Utah
Photographer: Adam McKean; © 2015
The setting sun illuminates the Jurassic-age Navajo Sandstone cliffs of Cougar Mountain (right) and South Guardian Angel (left) as viewed from Kolob Reservoir Road. Here, the road travels on top of the 220,000- to 310,000-year-old Grapevine Wash lava flow (dark rocks in middle ground).
A view to drink in over your lunch time daydream.
Cane Creek anticline and the Colorado River, Grand County, Utah
Photographer: Rebekah Stimpson; © 2015
Someone dropped a box of yellow crayons in this hot water. Now, the algae and sulfur crystals can’t stop coloring! Just kidding, there’s no crayons in this natural color field.
Roosevelt Hot Springs Geothermal Area, Beaver County, Utah
Photographer: Mark Milligan; © 2015
Yellow sulfur crystals and various colors of bacteria and algae give these hissing steam vents and bubbling pools an otherworldly look. This landscape is a recent and evolving phenomenon resulting from changing groundwater levels associated with nearby geothermal power generation.
Pine Valley Mountains, Washington County, Utah
Photographer: Nikki Simon; © 2015
The mornings are becoming a little crisper, and night comes a little quicker. It won’t belong before we see this scene!
Zion National Park, Kane County, Utah
Photographer: Adam Hiscock; © 2015
Snow highlights cross-bedding on the sides of buttes and mesas along the Clear Creek drainage on the east side of Zion National Park. Cross-beds in the nearly 2,000-foot-thick Jurassic-age Navajo Sandstone formed in ancient sand dunes and reflect changing wind directions as the sand was being deposited.
Fall is upon us and October is just around the corner. If there were a Pumpkin Spice Geology, maybe it would look a little like this photo. What do you think? We’re in the Fall spirit here at the UGS!
Chocolate Drops, Maze District of Canyonlands National Park, Wayne County, Utah
Photographer: Tyler Knudsen; © 2015
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah
Photographer: Gregg Beukelman; © 2015
Alpenglow illuminates the glacially sculpted Stansbury Mountains as seen from the shores of Great Salt Lake. Deseret Peak (11,031 feet), the leftmost high summit, is the range’s highest peak and is underlain by Cambrian-age Prospect Mountain Quartzite.
eastern Uinta Basin, Uintah County, Utah
Photographer: Michael Vanden Berg; © 2014
Algal stromatolites from the Green River Formation, eastern Uinta Basin, Uintah County.
The Utah Geological Survey (UGS) is a division of the Utah Department of Natural Resources. Several specialized programs comprise the UGS: Data Management, Energy & Minerals, Geologic Hazards, Geologic Information & Outreach, Geologic Mapping, Groundwater & Wetlands, and Paleontology.