HISTORY108 - Natural Wonders of Northern Arizona
Northern Arizona has always been a favorite place for Pat and me to visit. There is so much spectacular scenery. Natural wonders abound - with such a variety of colorful canyons, mountains, deserts, and majestic monuments - that share an early geologic history, but that later underwent different natural processes to make each of these natural wonders truly unique. This blog will discuss the history of several of these natural wonders, with emphasis on what makes them so different from one another. I have arbitrarily defined Northern Arizona as that part of Arizona that lies north of Interstate 40. After an introduction to the region and its early geology, I will talk about the Grand Canyon; the San Francisco Volcanic Field, highlighting Sunset Volcano Crater; the San Francisco Peaks; Antelope Canyon; Monument Valley; the Painted Desert, highlighting the Petrified Forest; Canyon De Chelly; Window Rock; and finally, the fascinating special case o...