Geology The geologic history of Pipe Spring is millions of years old. It is a story of major geologic events building and sculpting the land. Several types of sedimentary or layered rock were deposited through first the presence of shallow seas and then by river systems, deltas, floodplains and tidal flats. On top of those layers, windblown sands as well as river and floodplain muds, silts and sands settled. More windblown dunes were deposited during a later dry period. These layers continued to be buried by newer sediments. A broad uplift followed layering, raising the Colorado Plateau above sea level. The underlying rocks were gently folded or left relatively flat. Fault lines further cut the land into great blocks of north-south plateaus. The Sevier Fault passes through Pipe Spring from northeast to southwest. The block to the south and east was upthrown or raised. Looking at Pipe Spring today, one would never know which side of the fault was raised and which was lowered. Erosion began. Layers were stripped away, shaping the land. The upthrown side is now the flat to gently rolling land at the base of the higher, but downthrown hill. The layers are visible in the cliffs which form the south face of the downthrown block. Movement along faults and the processes of erosion and weathering will continue today and in the future to shape the land at Pipe Spring.	Animals s
Water Water is the key component to the cultural and natural history of Pipe Spring. Without water, both prehistoric and historic people would not have lived, worked or traveled in this region. Habitat for plants and animals would not exist. While life is dependent upon the water, the development of water and geology is intertwined. Water continues to shape the land it once helped to build through layering. Besides eroding the landscape, it enlarges joints and cracks providing a large network of entry points for rainwater and snowmelt to enter the underground aquifers. An aquifer is a layer of rock or soil that allows water to flow through it or be stored within it. Cracks in the rocks provide further pathways for the water to follow. Some types of rock provide a barrier to the water flow. When this happens, water is blocked and forced to go in another direction or up to the surface. The water of Pipe Spring flows from the north along the Sevier Fault. When it reaches the rock layers which block its flow, the spring water is forced to the surface, forming the springs on the park grounds. Knowledge of where these springs were located was an important factor in surviving this arid region for animals and people.	Plants