Nevada’s Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Photo by Bob Wicks. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 10/21/16.
Orange sandstone towers stand brightly against a stormy sky at Canyonlands National Park in Utah. The Needles – named for the sandstone spires – form the southeast corner of the park and offer long day hikes and overnight trips. Photo by Bryan Moore. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 11/15/16.
Capitol Reef National Park in Utah got its name from the white domes of Navajo Sandstone that resemble capitol building domes and the rocky cliffs – which act as a reef, creating a barrier to travel. The park is one of the best geological classrooms in the world. Rock layers in Capitol Reef reveal ancient environments as varied as rivers and swamps, Sahara-like deserts and shallow oceans, each marking an era through almost 200 million years of Earth’s history. Photo by David Long. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 11/10/16.