The following is a brief time sequence of the Geologic Eras and Periods along with some of the significant formations you may encounter in the Cedar Mesa area.
| Era | Period | Million Years | Formations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cenozoic | Quaternary | Now...1.6 | soil, sand,gravel |
| Tertiary | 1.6...66.4 | Igneous intrusions | |
| [Laramide Orogeny] | |||
| Mesozoic | Cretaceous | 66.4...144 | Mesaverde Group |
| Mancos Shale | |||
| Dakota Sandstone | |||
| Cedar Mountain | |||
| Burro Canyon | |||
| Jurassic | 144...208 | Morrison Formation | |
| Entrada Sandstone | |||
| Carmel Formation | |||
| Navajo Sandstone | |||
| Kayenta Formation | |||
| Wingate Sandstone | |||
| Triassic | 208...245 | Chinle Formation | |
| Moenkopi Formation | |||
| Paleozic | Permian | 245...286 | Cutler Group: |
| White Rim Sandstone | |||
| Organ Rock Shale | |||
| Cedar Mesa Sandstone | |||
| Elephant Canyon Formation | |||
| Halgaito Shale | |||
| Pennsylvanian | 286...320 | Hermosa Group: | |
| Honaker Trail Formation | |||
| Paradox Formation | |||
| [Ancestral Rockies Orogeny] | |||
| Pinkerton Trail Formation | |||
| Molas Formation | |||
| Mississipian | 320...360 | Leadville/Redwall Formation | |
| Devonian | 360...408 | Ouray Limestone | |
| Elbert Formation | |||
| Silurian | 408...438 | [Rocks missing] | |
| Ordovician | 438...505 | [Rocks missing] | |
| Cambrian | 505...570 | Ignacio-Lynch Formations | |
| Pre-Cambrian | Upper | 570...2,500 | Quartzites/Granites |
| Lower | 2,500...4,500? | Metamorphics/Granites | |
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- URL of this page: http://bcn.boulder.co.us/environment/cacv/cacvchrn.htm
- Revised '9-Jun-2001,11:10:14'
- Copyright ©1996, 1999 SCCS.