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Making America's Best Idea Even Better
Canyonlands National ParkSeedling in Biological Soil Crust
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Canyonlands National Park
Wingate Sandstone
 
photo: Morning fog at Grand View Point: wingate cliffs frame the Island in the Sky Mesa top.
Photo copyright Steve Mulligan
Morning fog at Grand View Point: Wingate cliffs frame the Island in the Sky mesa top.
 

Deposited
Early Jurassic (144 to 208 million years ago)

Depositional Environment
Massive, wind-blown sand dunes (like the Sahara today)

Appearance
Towering red cliffs and spires

Notes
Wingate Sandstone is a member of the Glen Canyon Group which also includes Kayenta and Navajo and is the primary aquifer in the Moab area.

Examples
Tall cliffs and features like Candlestick Tower and Junction Butte at the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands.
Interactive Geologic Atlas
Interactive Geologic Atlas
Flash animations manage to simplify the story of Canyonlands.
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Spanish Bottom on the Colorado River  

Did You Know?
At Spanish Bottom on the Colorado River, scientists discovered 260 feet of sediment below the water's surface. This could make Cataract Canyon one of the most actively filling canyons in the world.
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Last Updated: July 11, 2006 at 18:55 EST