bryce canyon, utah us

First created 15 Feb 2015. Version 1.0 - 28 Mar 2015. Jerry Tse. London.

Bryce Canyon

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Available free for non-commercial, Educational and personal use.

Utah, National Park

Western Interior Seaway, ~75m year ago.

Geologically, large part of the North America was shaped by the inland sea, Western Interior Seaway. It spans from about 100m to 70 million years ago. The inland sea links the Gulf of Mexico to the Artic Ocean.

Bryce NP

The Bryce Canyon area was situated along the margins of the Western Interior Seaway.

By 50 million years ago, the Western Interior Seaway had already withdrew from the continent. The area was covered by a lake system, which created the Claron Formation. It is this layer of rock that we see in Bryce Canyon today.

Geology

Rainbow Point

About 16m years ago the land in southern Utah began to rise to about 2400m. In the distance is the Grand Staircase of Utah.

Geology

Utah was located near the equator and within a dry trade-wind belt. The area was similar to the Sahara Desert of today. The sand dunes of that desert have been preserved as the Navajo Sandstone.

Bryce Canyon was situated at the margin of Western Interior Seaway, also called the Cretaceous Seaway.

Claron Formation was deposited by a system of lakes.

Formation of Hoodoos

Intersecting fracture allows running water to carve the hoodoos into the receding landscape.

Formation of Hoodoos (Fin)

Fin at Inspiration Point.

Formation of Hoodoos (Window)

Formation of Window, which eventually led to the standalone hoodoo. Brice Point.

The park is situated on the Colorado High Plateau. Rainbow Point.

Rainbow Point

Map

of

Bry

ce C

anyo

n

Map of Bryce Canyon National Park.

North South

Paria Point

Paria Point

Rabbit plant.

Bryce Point

The Amphitheatre.

Bryce Point

Note the fins and window formation.

Inspiration Point

Early morning view with a layer of mist in the distance.

Inspiration Point

The reddish colour is due to the present of iron in the rock.

Inspiration Point

Morning light on the Hoodoos.

Inspiration Point

Hoodoos at sunrise.

Inspiration Point

Morning light on the Hoodoos.

Inspiration Point

Inspiration Point

Morning mist.

Inspiration Point

Inspiration Point

Early morning mist in the valley.

Sunrise Point

First light before sunrise.

Sunrise Point

Misty mountain in first light before sunrise at Sunrise point.

Sunrise Point

The flaming sky just before the sunrise.

Sunrise Point

The rising sun at Sunrise point.

Sunrise Point

Still air and early mist as the sun rises.

Sunrise Point

Grass in sunrise.

Sunrise Point

Dead trees in the morning.

Fairyland Point

Misty beginning

Fairyland Point

Dews on juniper tree.

Fai

ryla

nd

Poi

nt

Fairview Point

Sightseers on the trail. Fairview point.

Fairview Point

A layer of harder white rock.

Fairview Point

Fairview Point

Fairview Point

Nat

ura

l Bri

dge

The Natural Bridge.

Ponderosa Canyon

Bark of Ponderosa Pine

Ponderosa Canyon

Black Birch Canyon

Bark of spruce tree

Black Birch Canyon

Rainbow Point

The Grand Staircase of Utah in the distance.

Juvenile Mule Deer.

Mu

le D

eer

Utah Prairie Dog

Pra

irie

Dog

Crow

Cro

w

Winter in the Park

Snow covered canyon.

All rights reserved. Rights belong to their respective owners. Available free for non-commercial and personal

use.

The End

Music – Mozart Clarinet Concerto by John Barry