Geologic Cross Section of the Cedar Breaks – Zion – Grand Canyon Region [and] Grand Canyon – San Francisco Peaks – Verde Valley Region

The vast geologic history of the American Southwest, visualized.

This vibrant illustration shows the geologic strata that sit below the desert of Arizona between the Grand Canyon and the Verde Valley. Black Mesa, the Painted Desert, Mesa Butte, and numerous other natural features are illustrated and labeled, while a chart on either side shows their relative height above sea level.

Transportation routes and major cities are also noted within the view, oriented with east at the top. The verso presents a similar diagram of the area between Cedar Breaks, Utah, and the Grand Canyon.

The Roman numerals refer to the diagrams immediately below the main image, which provide further details on the estimated dates and the composition of the substrata. A text summary near the bottom of the page highlights the incredible power of nature – “In this region the forces of erosion have laid bare over one billion five hundred million years of the Earth’s history.”

Artwork by Dick Beasley, with William Breed and Peter Coney providing the geologic data and creating the cross-sections. Published by the Zion Natural History Association in Springdale, Utah, in 1985.