NPS image from http://www.nps.gov/brca/geology_grand.html
(See: en:Aquarius Plateau)

Geology and Cross Section by Peter J. Coney / Revised; 1985. Artwork by Dick Beasley. Published by Zion Natural History Association, in Springdale. Original image is a scan of a separate map (41cm ×62cm, scale 1:435,000).

Depicts the Grand Canyon National Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Zion National Park

File modified from its original form.

Cropped to remove detailed depictions of Bryce Canyon [and] Cedar Breaks Area, Zion Canyon Area, and Grand Canyon strata. Also cropped to remove quote:

In this region the forces of erosion have laid bare over one billion fie undred million years of the Earth's history. The oldest rocks, those of the Archeozoic, Proterozoic and Paleozoic Eras are found in the walls of the Grand Canyon, where tracks of early amphibians and reptiles, primitive fish, trilobites, brachiopods and many other fossils have been discovered.

The sheer walls, temples and towers of Zion Canyon are carved from rock layers of the Mesozoic Era. Other exposures of rocks of this era are along the Grey, White and Vermilion Cliffs. In these areas, the rocks contain bones and tracks of now-extinct dinosaurs as well as other reptiles, amphibians, ancient mammals and petrified wood.

Younger rocks of the Cenozoic Era form the pinnacles of Cedar Breaks and Bryce Canyons. Presumably these layers as well as those of Mesozoic Age at Zion once extended over the Grand Canyon Region. However, the relentless wearing of the waters has since stripped these layers back to the north to for the celebrated "Great Rock Stairway" of the Vermilion, White, Gray and Pink Cliffs.

Other modifications include:

• Original title "Geologic Cross Section of the Cedar Breaks–Zion–Grand Canyon Region" blanked out and changed to "The Grand Staircase"
• In left & right margins, words "North" and "South" blanked out and both changed to "Elevation (feet)"
• Large red dots added near cliffs labels
• "Chocolate Cliffs" label added

(given in stratigraphic order)

V

Brian Head [gray]

Wasatch [light red, limestone]

IV

Kaiparowitz [lavender, sandstone]

Straight Cliffs – Wahweap [gray, sandy siltstone]

Coal [black]

Tropic [gray, shale]

Dakota [orange, sandstone]

Carmel [lavender, sedimentary]

Temple Cap [reddish white, crossbedding]

Navajo [blended light red, crossbedding]

Kayenta [lavender silty, sandstone]

Moenave [dark orange, sandstone]

Chinle [yellow, shale]

Shinarump Member [tan, conglomerate]

Moenkopi [dark red, shale]

III

Kaibab [tan, limestone]

Toroweap [dark brown, limestone]

Coconino [light tan, crossbedding]

Hermit [light red, shale]

Supai [light red, siltstone]

Redwall [lavender, limestone]

Temple Butte [purple, limestone]

Muav [tan, limestone]

Bright Angel [tan orange, shale]

Tapeats [light brown, sandstone]

II

Dox [red orange, sandstone]

Shinumo [orange tan, sandstone]

Hakatai [deep red, shale]

Diabase [light gray, intrusive igneous]

Bass [white, limestone]

I

[Vishnu Group depicted (tan, foliated metamorphic)]

[Zoroaster Granite depicted (white, granitic)]

(left to right)

↓ Cedar City 5800'

I-15

Coal Mines

Hurricane Cliffs

↓ Cedar Breaks 10,350'

↓ Brian Head 11,307'

Lava Flow

↓ Markagunt Plateau

Panguitch Lake

← Navajo Lake

Lava

← Red Canyon

Long Valley Jct.

↓ Paunsaugunt Plateau

Pink Cliffs

↓ Bryce Canyon 8500'

← Tropic

↓ Aquarius Plateau

Grey Cliffs

Sevier Fault ↓

Sunset Cliffs

Table Cliffs

West Temple 7795' →

Kolob Terrace

↓ Zion Canyon 4000'

Mt. Carmel Junction

White Cliffs

Sevier Fault ↓

↓ Coral Pink Sand Dunes

↓ Pipe Spring 5000'

↓ Kanab

Vermilion Cliffs

Antelope Valley

Fredonia

U.S. 89

U.S. 89 A

↓ Kaiparowits Plateau

Paria River

Chocolate Cliffs

↓ Colorado River

Rainbow Bridge ↓

↓ Lake Powell

↓ Navajo Mountain 10,388'

Glen Canyon Dam

Page

Echo Cliffs

↓ Jacob Lake

Black Mesa →

↓ Kaibab Plateau

Painted Desert

↓ North Rim 8000'

↓ Grand Canyon

Cape Royal ←

↓ South Rim 7000'

(left to right)

Hurricane Fault

Sevier Fault

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