101 American Geo-Sites You've Gotta See (original) (raw)

101 American Geo-Sites You've Gotta See

Table of Contents

Foreword

ix

Acknowledgments

xi

Introduction

1

Relative Age Dating

1

Absolute Age Dating

4

Plate Tectonics Theory

5

A Short History of the Earth

11

Hadean Eon: 4,600-4,000 MYA

11

Archean Eon: 4,000-2,500 MYA

12

Proterozoic Eon: 2,500-542 MYA

12

Cambrian Period: 542-488 MYA

12

Ordovician Period: 488-443 MYA

13

Silurian Period: 443-416 MYA

13

Devonian Period: 416-359 MYA

14

Carboniferous Period: 359-299 MYA

14

Permian Period: 299-251 MYA

15

Triassic Period: 251-199 MYA

15

Jurassic Period: 199-145 MYA

15

Cretaceous Period: 145-65 MYA

16

Paleogene Period: 65-23 MYA

16

Neogene Period: 23-2.6 MYA

17

Quaternary Period: 2.6 MYA to Today

17

GEO-SITES

11

1. Wetumpka Crater, Alabama

20

2. Exit Glacier, Alaska

22

3. Antelope Canyon, Arizona

24

4. Meteor Crater, Arizona

26

5. Monument Valley, Arizona

28

6. Prairie Creek Pipe, Arkansas

30

7. Wallace Creek, California

32

8. Racetrack Playa, California

34

9. Devils Postpile, California

36

10. Rancho La Brea, California

38

11. El Capitan, California

40

12. Boulder Flatirons, Colorado

42

13. Interstate 70 Roadcut, Colorado

44

14. Florissant Fossil Beds, Colorado

46

15. Dinosaur Trackway, Connecticut

48

16. Wilmington Blue Rocks, Delaware

50

17. Devil's Millhopper, Florida

52

18. Stone Mountain, Georgia

54

19. Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

56

20. Borah Peak, Idaho

58

21. Menan Buttes, Idaho

60

22. Great Rift, Idaho

62

23. Balmeyer Anticline, Illinois

64

24. Hanging Rock Klint, Indiana

66

25. Fort Dodge Gypsum, Iowa

68

26. Monument Rocks, Kansas

70

27. Ohio Black Shale, Kentucky

72

28. Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

74

29. Four Corners Roadcut, Kentucky

76

30. Avery Island, Louisiana

78

31. Schoodic Point, Maine

80

32. Calvert Cliffs, Maryland

82

33. Purgatory Chasm, Massachusetts

84

34. Nonesuch Potholes, Michigan

86

35. Quincy Mine, Michigan

88

36. Grand River Ledges, Michigan

90

37. Sioux Quartzite, Minnesota

92

38. Thomson Dikes, Minnesota

94

39. Soudan Mine, Minnesota

96

40. Petrified Forest, Mississippi

98

41. Elephant Rocks, Missouri

100

42. Grassy Mountain Nonconformity, Missouri

102

43. Chief Mountain, Montana

104

44. Madison Slide, Montana

106

45. Butte Pluton, Montana

108

46. Quad Creek Quartzite, Montana

110

47. Ashfall Fossil Beds, Nebraska

112

48. Scotts Bluff, Nebraska

114

49. Crow Creek Marlstone, Nebraska

116

50. Sand Mountain, Nevada

118

51. Great Unconformity, Nevada

120

52. Flume Gorge, New Hampshire

122

53. Palisades Sill, New Jersey

124

54. White Sands, New Mexico

126

55. Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico

128

56. Ship Rock, New Mexico

130

57. State Line Outcrop, New Mexico

132

58. American Falls, New york

134

59. Taconic Unconformity, New York

136

60. Giboa Forest, New York

138

61. Pilot Mountain, North Carolina

140

62. South Killdeer Mountain, North Dakota

142

63. Hueston Woods, Ohio

144

64. Big Rock, Ohio

146

65. Kelleys Island, Ohio

148

66. Interstate 35 Roadcut, Oklahoma

150

67. Mount Mazama, Oregon

152

68. Lava River Cave, Oregon

154

69. Drake's Folly, Pennsylvania

156

70. Hickory Run, Pennsylvania

158

71. Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania

160

72. Beavertail Point, Rhode Island

162

73. Crowburg Basin, South Carolina

164

74. Mount Rushmore, South Dakota

166

75. Mammoth Site, South Dakota

168

76. Pinnacles Overlook, South Dakota

170

77. Reelfoot Scarp, Tennessee

172

78. Enchanted Rock, Texas

174

79. Capitan Reef, Texas

176

80. Paluxy River Tracks, Texas

178

81. Upheaval Dome, Utah

180

82. Checkerboard Mesa, Utah

182

83. San Juan Goosenecks, Utah

184

84. Salina Canyon Unconformity, Utah

186

85. Bingham Stock, Utah

188

86. Whipstock Hill, Vermont

190

87. Great Falls, Virginia

192

88. Natural Bridge, Virginia

194

89. Millbrig Ashfall, Virginia

196

90. Catoctin Greenstone, Virginia

198

91. Mount St. Helens, Washington

200

92. Dry Falls, Washington

202

93. Seneca Rocks, West Virginia

204

94. Roche-A-Cri Mound, Wisconsin

206

95. Van Hise Rock, Wisconsin

208

96. Amnicon Falls, Wisconsin

210

97. Green River Wyoming

212

98. Devils Tower, Wyoming

214

99. Fossil Butte, Wyoming

216

100. Steamboat Geyser, Wyoming

218

101. Specimen Ridge, Wyoming

220

Glossary

223

References

229

Index

243