Beneath The Castle - Waterpocket Fold, Capitol Reef National Park
The Waterpocket Fold defines the Park. A 100-mile long warp in the Earth's crust, the Waterpocket Fold is a classic monocline: a regional fold with one very steep side in an area of otherwise nearly horizontal layers. A monocline is a "step-up" in the rock layers. The layers on the west side of the Fold have been lifted more than 7000 feet higher than those on the east. The park was established primarily to preserve the geologic features of the waterpocket fold, such as the scenic rock domes and narrow canyons. Capitol Reef is a geologist's paradise, with nearly 10,000 feet of sedimentary layers ranging from 270 million to 80 million years old. The Waterpocket Fold has tilted this geologic layer cake down to the east, with older rocks in the west and younger ones in the east. Rock layers in Capitol Reef reveal ancient environments as varied as rivers and swamps (Chinle Formation), Sahara-like deserts (Navajo Sandstone), and shallow oceans (Mancos Shale). These layers have been eroded by wind and especially water over the last 20 million years. The landforms are a result of different responses of various rock layers to these forces of erosion. Hard sandstone layers form cliffs, while softer shale layers form slopes and low hills. Black boulders found scattered throughout the park are volcanic rocks from the 20 to 30 million year old lava flows which cap the nearby mountains.
Beneath The Castle - Waterpocket Fold, Capitol Reef National Park
The Waterpocket Fold defines the Park. A 100-mile long warp in the Earth's crust, the Waterpocket Fold is a classic monocline: a regional fold with one very steep side in an area of otherwise nearly horizontal layers. A monocline is a "step-up" in the rock layers. The layers on the west side of the Fold have been lifted more than 7000 feet higher than those on the east. The park was established primarily to preserve the geologic features of the waterpocket fold, such as the scenic rock domes and narrow canyons. Capitol Reef is a geologist's paradise, with nearly 10,000 feet of sedimentary layers ranging from 270 million to 80 million years old. The Waterpocket Fold has tilted this geologic layer cake down to the east, with older rocks in the west and younger ones in the east. Rock layers in Capitol Reef reveal ancient environments as varied as rivers and swamps (Chinle Formation), Sahara-like deserts (Navajo Sandstone), and shallow oceans (Mancos Shale). These layers have been eroded by wind and especially water over the last 20 million years. The landforms are a result of different responses of various rock layers to these forces of erosion. Hard sandstone layers form cliffs, while softer shale layers form slopes and low hills. Black boulders found scattered throughout the park are volcanic rocks from the 20 to 30 million year old lava flows which cap the nearby mountains.