Geology of Wupatkl National Monument

National Monument National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Geology of Wupatkl National Monument Wupatki National Monument has a Wash. Here an ancient stream cut variety of geologic features, many of deeply into the Doney Cliffs. This which can be seen from the visitor cen white, cross-bedded sandstone was ter. Some of the more prominent fea- originally deposited as a field of sand tures are the Doney Cliffs to the north. dunes, part of a large, sandy desert Doney Crater to the northwest, that covered this area approximately Moenkopi sandstone, grayish terrace 280 millbn years ago. Next a large, gravel deposits, and black lava flows, shallow sea covered the dunes. In this all to the east, and the dark gray marine environment,the sllty dolomites Woodhouse Mesa, a basaltic lava flow and limestones of the Kaibab Forma to the southwest of the visitor center. tion from the Permian Age were The Doney Cliffs are the large, buff- deposited, along with a variety of colored cliffs that run northeast from marine fossils. Doney Crater for four miles before The red rock formation which Is changing into gentler terrain. The cliffs prevalent throughout the monument is are formed by near-vertical faults that called the Moenkopi Sandstone For have raised the crust west of the cliffs. mation. It was deposited by sluggish This feature Is called a faulted mono streams flowing over a low coastal cline. A monocline may be thought of area. Many SInaguan ruins were built as a step-like fold, and is shown In the on the lower massive sandstone which figure betow. At the south end of the tends to form small, yellowish-red cliffs cliffs is the elongate cinder cone of and mesas, it weathers into brick-like Doney Crater, one of many craters blocks used for masonry by the prehis found in the San Francisco Peaks vol toric Indians, and is visible primarily canic field. east of the Doney Cliffs. Four different lava flows, of Pleis- tocene age, cover portions of the Doney Cliffs Moenkopi sandstone. Woodhouse Mesa is the oldest (1.1 million years), while the Doney Crater flow Is the rmst recent (fifteen thousand years). River terrace gravel deposits, transported by —Moenkopi Formation the Little Colorado River over the last two million years, also cover the —Kaibab Formation bedrock in some areas east of the Coconino sandstone cliffs. Remnants of four terrace levels ) can be seen, usually appearing as grayish, flat-topped caps of gravel over red Moenkopi hills. The oldest rock unit In the monument The backcountry of Wupatki National is the Permian Age (240 to 280 million Monument is administrativeiy dosed. years ago) Coconino sandstone, Removal of any mineral, plant or ani exposed only in the bottom of Antelope malis prohibited. IToodhousa Mesa Doney Crater to US 89 )oney Channel Wvjpafti-^ View of Doney Crater area. Fault line scarp and monocline through the center of the area Is visiiile as well as an ancient river channel(Doney Channel). Note also the elongation of craters along the fault Deadman Wash and the andent flows to the south that cut off the Moenkopi shale headwater of Doney Channel (drawing by Pamela Kaibab limestone Doney Fault Lungd,courtesy Museum of Northem Arizona) Coconino sandstone Supai shale.

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