University of Wyoming National Park Service Research Center Annual Report Volume 22 22nd Annual Report, 1998 Article 7 1-1-1998 Paleontological Resources at Grand Teton National Park, Northwestern Wyoming Vincent L. Santucci National Park Service William P. Wall Georgia College and State University Follow this and additional works at: http://repository.uwyo.edu/uwnpsrc_reports Recommended Citation Santucci, Vincent L. and Wall, William P. (1998) "Paleontological Resources at Grand Teton National Park, Northwestern Wyoming," University of Wyoming National Park Service Research Center Annual Report: Vol. 22 , Article 7. Available at: http://repository.uwyo.edu/uwnpsrc_reports/vol22/iss1/7 This Grand Teton National Park Report is brought to you for free and open access by Wyoming Scholars Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in University of Wyoming National Park Service Research Center Annual Report by an authorized editor of Wyoming Scholars Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Santucci and Wall: Paleontological Resources at Grand Teton National Park, Northwest PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES AT GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, NORTHWESTERN WYOMING + VINCENT L. SANTUCCI+ NATIONAL PARK SERVICE KEMMERER + WY WILLIAM P. WALL+ DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY GEORGIA COLLEGE AND STATE UNIVERSITY MILLEDGEVILLE + GA + ABSTRACT landscape, and though the last great ice masses melted 15 ,000 years ago, some re-established small Paleontological resources occur throughout glaciers still exist. the formations exposed in Grand Teton National Park. A comprehensive paleontological survey has This report provides a preliminary not been attempted previously at Grand Teton assessment of paleontological resources identified at National Park. Preliminary paleontologic resource Grand Teton National Park. data is given in this report in order to establish baseline data. + STRATIGRAPHY + INTRODUCTION The stratigraphic record at Grand Teton National Park extends from the Cambrian through the The original Grand Teton National Park was Tertiary. The only time period during this interval established by Congress on February 29, 1929. (45 that is not represented is the Silurian. Brief Stat., 1314). It was then expanded in 1950. The park descriptions of the stratigraphic units exposed at now encompasses approximately 310,000 acres in Grand Teton are provided below. northwestern Wyoming. Shallow seas transgressed and regressed over this area from 600 million years Flathead Sandstone (Cambrian) ago until 65 million years ago. These seas provided the sediments for the nearly 26,000 feet of This formation is exposed along the north sedimentary rock exposed in the park today. Many of and west flanks of the Teton Range, as well as the these layers are fossiliferous. The Teton Range is the north and west flanks of the Gros Ventre Mountains. youngest mountain range in North America, formed The Flathead Sandstone is partially marine. These by crustal extension only 5 to 9 million years ago. marine sections are characterized by a red-brown, The Teton Fault is a normal fault that is still active medium grained quartz arenite, some of which today, with over 30,000 feet of vertical separation. contain horizontal feeding traces and vertical Several periods of glaciation carved the dramatic burrows. Published by Wyoming Scholars Repository, 1998 1 32 University of Wyoming National Park Service Research Center Annual Report, Vol. 22 [1998], Art. 7 Gras Ventre Formation (Cambrian) slopes of the Gros Ventre Mountains and southern Jackson Hole. It is a blue-gray marine limestone that The Gros Ventre Formation is exposed ranges from 1,000 to 1,200 feet thick in the Teton along the north and west flanks of the Teton Range area. Though referred to as a fossiliferous unit, the and Gros Ventre Mountains. The formation is made outcrops within the park have not been surveyed for up of about 700 feet greenish gray marine shale and fossils, and there are no reports of fossils collected limestone. The Death Canyon Member, a cliff from this unit inside the park. Brachiopods and corals building limestone, makes up 300 feet of this have been collected from this formation outside the sequence. The plant fossil Tetonophycus park. blackwelderi was collected in the park near the head of Death Canyon in the Death Canyon Member of the Amsden Formation (Pennsylvanian) formation. This formation is exposed on the north and Gallatin Limestone (Cambrian) west flanks of the Teton Range, the north slopes of the Gros Ventre Mountains and southern Jackson The Gallatin Limestone is exposed along the Hole. It consists of reddish marine dolostone and north and west flanks of the Teton Range and Gros shale, and contains a basal red sandstone. The Ventre mountains. This formation is a blue-gray thin­ Amsden Formation is about 300 feet thick in this bedded marine limestone that ranges from 200 to 300 area. Poorly preserved fossil traces and much crinoid feet in thickness. Three genera of conodonts, stem debris is reported from the formation. Preconodontus, Eoconodontus, and Cambrooistodus are reported from this formation. Tensleep Sandstone (Pennsylvanian) Bighorn Dolomite (Ordovician) The Tensleep Sandstone, a light gray hard sandstone, is exposed on the north and west flanks of The Bighorn Dolomite is exposed along the the Teton Range, the north flank of the Gros Ventre north and west flanks of the Teton Range, the north Mountains and southern Jackson Hole. The following and west flanks of the Gros Ventre Mountains, and in fossils were collected in the park by J.D. Love, 1953 : southern Jackson Hole. This formation is a gray­ Climacammina sp., Bradyina sp., Textrataxis sp., white [me-grained marine dolostone that is between Pseudotaffella or possibly Milleralla sp., Fusulina 300 and 500 feet thick. Several marine invertebrates sp., and Prismopora sp. including brachiopods, bryozoans, and corals are preserved in this formation. Phosphoria Formation (Permian) Darby Formation (Devonian) The Phosphoria Formation is exposed on the north and west flanks of the Teton Range, the north This. formation is exposed along Darby slopes of the Gros Ventre Mountains, and southern Creek, the western slopes of the Teton Range, the Jackson Hole. It is made up of marine beds of gray north slopes of the Gros Ventre Mountains and dolostone, black shale, and phosphate. The formation southern Jackson Hole. It consists of sandy and silty ranges from 150 to 250 feet in thickness. Sponge gray-brown limestone, often interbedded with brown spicules are reported from this layer. and green shales and siltstones. The Darby formation correlates with the Jefferson and Three Forks Dinwoody Formation (Triassic) formations of Montana. The section on the western slope of Glory Mountain is 327 feet thick. The lower The Din woody Formation is exposed on the 151 feet of this section, which corresponds to the north end of the Teton Range, the north flank of the Jefferson Formation, contains rod-like organic Gros Ventre Mountains, and southernmost Jackson structures, crinoid fragments, brachiopods, and Hole. It is a brown, thin-bedded, marine siltstone that ostracodes. The upper 176 feet, corresponding to the ranges between 200 and 400 feet in thickness. three Forks Formation, contain a crinoidal limestone Conodonts are reported from this layer. in the lower part. Chugwater Formation (Triassic) Madison Limestone (Mississippian) This formation is exposed on the north end The Madison Limestone is exposed on the of the Teton Range, the north flank of the north and west flanks of the Teton Range, the north Gros Ventre Mountains, and southernmost http://repository.uwyo.edu/uwnpsrc_reports/vol22/iss1/7 2 Santucci and Wall: Paleontological Resources at Grand Teton National Park, Northwest 33 Jackson Hole. The Chugwater formation is together are 650 feet thick in this area. It is a silty made up of red, thin-bedded sandstone and sandstone and claystone. No fossils have been found shale with a thin bed of limestone near the in this layer inside the park. top. It is between 1000 and 1500 feet thick. Cloverly Formation (Early Cretaceous) The lowest member is known as the Red Peak. The two upper members are known as the Popo The formation is exposed on the north end Agie and the Alcova. The Red Peak Member is of the Teton Range and in the Gros Ventre River predominantly siltstone and is not fossiliferous. The valley. In this area the Cloverly formation is a light Alcova Limestone Member consists of a thin, hard, gray sandstone with a rusty unit near the top. The fine-bedded, pinkish to light-gray limestone. Fossils Cloverly Formation has produced many dinosaur from the Alcova place it in Middle or Upper Triassic. fossils in the Bighorn Basin, and Carbon County The lower part of the Popo Agie member resembles Montana, but fossils have not yet been reported from the Red Peak member, and the top consists of an this formation in the Teton Range. earthy, powdery, brown claystone overlying purple to red silty shales and limestone pellet conglomerates. Thermopolis Shale (Early Cretaceous) This member does contain fossils. The Thermopolis Shale is exposed in the Nugget Sandstone (Triassic/Jurassic) Gros Ventre River valley, along the northern boundary of the park, and in southern Jackson Hole. This formation is exposed on the north flank Ranging from 150 to 200 feet thick, it is a fissile, of the Gros Ventre Mountains, Blacktail Butte and black, marine shale with sandstone at the top. Though southern Jackson Hole. The Nugget Sandstone is a plesiosaur bones have been excavated from this hard, red sandstone that ranges from nonexistent to formation nearby, no fossils are reported in the park. 350 feet in the park area. An abundant fauna of foraminifers is reported from areas to the east of the park. Gypsum Spring Formation (Jurassic) Mowry Shale (Early Cretaceous) This formation is exposed on the north end of the Teton Range, Blacktail Butte, and in the Gros This formation is exposed in the Gros Ventre River valley. The Gypsum Spring Formation Ventre River valley, along the northern boundary of is a partly marine white gypsum interbedded with the park, and in southern Jackson Hole.