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Canyonlands National Park Seedling in Biological Soil Crust
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Canyonlands National Park
Chinle Formation
photo: The Chinle Formation generally forms colorful talus slopes below Wingate cliffs.
NPS Photo by Neal Herbert
The Chinle Formation generally forms colorful talus slopes below Wingate cliffs.
 

The Chinle Formation is composed of the Shinnarump and Moss Back members. Each has different characteristics due to changes in the depositional environment.

Deposited
Triassic Period (208 to 245 million years ago)

Depositional Environment
Tropical streams, lakes and swamps

Appearance
Multi-colored slopes of clay with dark brown sandstone ledges (Moss Back)

Notes
Uranium is often found in the Moss Back Member of the Chinle. Though most Uranium mines are in the Morrison Formation, the famous Mi Vida mine in Lisbon Valley was in the Chinle. The multi-colored clays in the Chinle are bentonite (volcanic ash).

Example
Talus slopes immediately below the Wingate cliffs at the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands.

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Last Updated: July 01, 2011 at 09:05 MST