The History of the San Rafael Swell
The San Rafael Swell is a high desert now. It wasn't always that way, however. Its rocks tell a different story of its ancient past. It is the fossilized remnants of ancient oceans, beaches, and deserts that once covered the region. Later, during the Laramide Orogeny about 60 million years ago, tectonic forces uplifted the region and folded the sedimentary layers into a dome-shaped structure known as an anticline, creating what is now the San Rafael Swell. Since then, erosion has carved out its dramatic terrain of reefs, canyons, and mesas. It is a geological paradise set in one of Utah's deserts that you can get lost in (literally).
To view photos of this year's overlanding journey in chronological order, click www.flickr.com/photos/stevefrazier/albums/72177720328383895
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© Stephen L. Frazier - All Rights Reserved. Reproduction, printing, publication, or any other use of this image without written permission is prohibited.
The History of the San Rafael Swell
The San Rafael Swell is a high desert now. It wasn't always that way, however. Its rocks tell a different story of its ancient past. It is the fossilized remnants of ancient oceans, beaches, and deserts that once covered the region. Later, during the Laramide Orogeny about 60 million years ago, tectonic forces uplifted the region and folded the sedimentary layers into a dome-shaped structure known as an anticline, creating what is now the San Rafael Swell. Since then, erosion has carved out its dramatic terrain of reefs, canyons, and mesas. It is a geological paradise set in one of Utah's deserts that you can get lost in (literally).
To view photos of this year's overlanding journey in chronological order, click www.flickr.com/photos/stevefrazier/albums/72177720328383895
_DSC7171
© Stephen L. Frazier - All Rights Reserved. Reproduction, printing, publication, or any other use of this image without written permission is prohibited.