Geology of Wyoming - Home
For each spot we provide a wow rating, a geological factor rating, an attraction summary, a detailed geology description with maps, diagrams, pictures and history, what you will see, driving directions, and for most spots a recommended hike or activity.
Leucite Hills - Geology of Wyoming
The Wyoming State Geological Survey unsuccessfully tested Endlich Hill, South Table Mountain, Wortman dike and Black Rock for diamonds in the early 1990s. To date no diamonds have been found in the Leucite Hills volcanic field but total sample weight has been relatively small (about 500 pounds), and results may be undiagnostic (Hausel et al ...
Granite Mountains - Geology of Wyoming
Reconstruction of Wyoming topography during late Miocene time. The mountains were almost completely buried and major volcanic centers in the Absaroka-Yellowstone area and the Leucite Hills. Miocene lakes in the Granite Mountains and the Teton Range.
South Pass - Geology of Wyoming
The basement rocks are buried by Tertiary beds of tuff, conglomerate and pebbles and pediment deposits containing cobbles and boulders of Archean metamorphic and granitic rocks deposited in the South Pass and Split Rock Formations (the latter formation name was abandoned by the U.S. Geological Survey and replaced by Arikaree Formation (Denson ...
THERMOPOLIS HOT SPRINGS - Geology of Wyoming
Legendary US Geological Survey geologist Nelson Horatio Darton presented a model for the origin of the hot springs in his 1906 paper “The hot springs at Thermopolis, Wyoming” (Journal of Geology, v. 14, p. 194-200). Modern data has shown Darton’s interpretation to …
Goshen Hole - Geology of Wyoming
Large erosional lowland area on the Great Plains of Wyoming bounded by a sandstone escarpment. Geology, history, maps, and pictures.
Bighorn Mountain Byways Part I - Geology of Wyoming
A road trip on the Bighorn Byways is a journey across one of the oldest pieces of North America. These 2.8 to 3.0 billion year old basement rocks of the Wyoming Craton were covered by sediments from ancient oceans for hundreds of millions of years.
Vedauwoo - Geology of Wyoming
Spectacular geology with granite boulders and knobs to explore. High on scenery. Geology, maps, history and pictures.
Lusk Area - Geology of Wyoming
Wyoming High Plains geology map and potentiometric surface map of the High Plains aquifer system. A potentiometric map is a subsurface contour map showing the elevation of the top of the water table. Abbreviations on the map: Ogallala Formation To, Arikaree Formation Ta, White River Formation Two, Brule Formation Twrb, and Chadron Formation Twrc.
Stratigraphic Column - Geology of Wyoming
A geologic stratigraphic column is basic reference material for a geologist. Below is one for the Bighorn Basin with formation names, ages, rock type, major extinctions and the tectonic setting. Note that thickness on this stratigraphic chart has no resemblance to rock thickness.