Red Cathedral, Golden Cayon Trail

Notice the change from the relatively

gentle yellow slopes in the foreground to the

steeper red cliffs beyond. More resistant to

erosion than the soft yellow mudstone, the rocks

of Red Cathedral form steep cliffs. These cliffs

are composed of conglomerate similar to that

exposed near the mouth of Golden Canyon, and

they are also the debris of a former alluvial fan.

Oxidation of iron creates the red color, like the

process that forms rust. For an impressive view

of Red Cathedral’s fluted walls, hike another ¼

mile up the main wash, keeping to the right at

forks in the drainage.

As you continue your exploration of the

rugged mountains, canyons, salt flats, and other

landforms of Death Valley National Park, notice

the many geologic clues that are clearly exposed

in this desert land. As you have seen here in

Golden Canyon, processes working today have

also been working in the past. These same

processes will continue into the future, shaping

and changing this dynamic landscape. Source: www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/upload/Golden%20Canyon%20T...

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