Emily Sargent Paul Inkenbrandt GEO 1010 29 Apr 2014 Red Cliffs National Conservation

This report will include observations made at the Red Cliffs National Conservation in Hurricane, Utah. There are many unique features present in the narrow canyons and trails of the Red Cliffs. Some of the features which will be covered in this report are: abundant sandstone, sedimentary strata, potholes, rock coloring and indications of weathering. First, one must understand what type of rock can be found in the Red Cliffs area. The rock most common to this location is sandstoneNavajo Sandstone (shown in photo number three) from the Jurassic period to be exact (par. 1, 2012). The sandstone is foliated, detrital and in the case of the collected sample, well-sorted. The sandstone has a red hue which is caused by oxidation (par. 2, 2012). Secondly, one will notice sedimentary strata. Many layers of sediment can be seen stacked atop one another which make up the vast rock walls. There are distinct color variations in each layer which showcase the plentiful beds. This is evident on photo number one of the slideshow on the ePortfolio site. Other unusual and interesting features of these canyons are potholes. Potholes are large dips in the rock formed by a fast, circular motion of water and sand or silt. Based on the amount of visible potholes, one can gather that water levels are constantly changing in these canyons. Flash floods are common in this area and may be one cause for upheaval in particles which slosh around to create potholes. It is not uncommon to find many visitors using these potholes to their advantage to climb. This is what is taking place in photo number 14. Third, it is very common to find deep streams filled with sand and silt along the floor of the Red Cliffs canyons. The silt is brownish-red and very fine grained. In order to continue hiking the Red Reef trail, it may be required to swim. These canyons slope downward and can be extremely dangerous in times of flash flooding. However, at present time the water here is

rather still, as indicated by the abundance of silt and sand, and it consists primarily of a suspended load. This is shown best in picture 20. When flooding does occur, one can be assured that the waters velocity will change rather quickly to be quite the opposite. Water plays a major role in the formation and erosion of rock beds at Red Cliffs. In conclusion, Southern Utah has numerous features on display. Many believe the area to be a desert and nothing more, but the surroundings indicate so much more. Red rocks, erosion caused by water, and sandstone are a few of the unique features this land has to offer. Many other unique traits such as various wildlife species and plant life (see photos) are common to this area which makes it worth preserving (2011).

Works Cited http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/st__george/blm_special_areas/national_landscape/national_conse rvation/red_cliffs_national.html National Conservation Areas. 28 September 2011. Web Page. April 2014. <http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/st__george/blm_special_areas/national_landscape/natio nal_conservation/red_cliffs_national.html>. http://www.redrockcanyonlv.org/redrockcanyon/geology-highlights/ Geology Highlights. 2012. Web Page. April 2014. <http://www.redrockcanyonlv.org/redrockcanyon/geology-highlights/>. http://geology.utah.gov/online/ofr/ofr-561.pdf Nielsen, Gregory B and Chan, Marjorie A. Utah Department of Natural Resources. 2010. UTAH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. Open-File Report. April 2014. <http://geology.utah.gov/online/ofr/ofr-561.pdf>.

Field Observations Form Observer Name: Site Name: Emily Sargent Date of Site Visit: April 19, 2014

Red Reef, Water Canyon, Quail Creek, Red Cliffs National Conservation Husband, Cole, and his immediate family Sandstone

Other People Present: Rock Samples Collected:

Human Observations (past industry, past usage, current usage): Current Usage: Recreation There was a rope built into the rock wall where people could put their feet in the holes of the rock and climb up and jump into deep pools of water below.

Observations of Geologic Elements/Processes (rocks; sediments [silt, sand, and gravel]; lava flows; old volcanoes; shoreline features; wetlands; landslides or slump scars; faults; landscapes; industrial and mine activities; stream geomorphology): There was sandstone EVERYWHERE! Lots of sand and silt was present in the canyon. Sedimentary strata were abundant. There were visible potholes in the rock walls. There were indications of obvious weathering (hematite). Red rock is also visible at every turn.

Photograph Log: Photo # Photo Description: 1 Rock Wall 2 Water/Water Erosion 3 Cleaning Rocks 4 Collecting Rock Samples 5 Exploring Red Rocks 6 Broken Sandstone 7 Sitting in a Pothole 8 Me and Cole (Husband) 9 Mountainside View 10 Sky View 11 Canyon Tree Frog (Leap)