best info on geology of Northern Arizona?

Question

we vacationed there, and now I'm full of questions I need answers to. TheRim, the upwelling of the canyons, the red rock of Sedona and Canyon deChelly, the 'petrified sand dunes', the lava fields around the volcanos... the thirty extinct volcanos in the area, petrified wood, just EVERYTHING about the area.... can you point me to the best info on the web or in books?.... this area is so interesting!!!.... I want to know so much more about it.....

Answer 1

As you note, northern Arizona is a geologist wonderland and not just for the Grand Canyon. While there are some decent webpages on the subject, I would highly recommend one of the following books (all of which are not only informative, but also very readable). They should all be on Amazon or similar online book sellers:

"Pages of Stone: Geology of the Grand Canyon & Plateau Country National Parks & Monuments" by Halka and Lucy Chronic. This is an excellent book that covers most of the areas and topics you mention (Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Sunset Crater, Canyon de Chelly, etc). It begins with a geologic background and history on the whole area (what was happening at different geologic periods) and then zooms in on specific features and formations in various parks and areas.

"Hiking the Southwest's Geology: Four Corners Region" by Ralph Lee Hopkins. This is aimed at specific foot trails (mostly in National Parks) and gives you detailed descriptions of what you see (rock layers, fossils, faults, etc) at various points on the trail. There is also a similar excellent guide specific to the Grand Canyon ("Hiking the Grand Canyon's Geology" by Lon Abbott & Terri Cook")

For Sedona, there is "Sedona Through Time: Geology of the Red Rocks" by Wayne Ranney.

Also for general guides to Arizona geology overall, I would recommend "Geology of Arizona" by Dale Nations and Edmund Stump and "Roadside Geology of Arizona" by Halka Chronic. The later book is good for travelers as it describes the geology you pass through along various highways (a lot of interesting features can be revealed by road cuts).

When you learn to recognize the geology of an area, you get to see it in a whole new dimension and be awed by things that most people pass by without noticing.

Answer 2

It's great that your so pumped up about it, I hope these answer your questions...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Arizona
http://www.cens.nau.edu/Academic/Geology/
http://www.azgs.state.az.us/