C A, Economic Geology, 89 B' DesoriPtive Geo'ogy. HO Professional Paper No. 56 ^ Systematic Geology and Paleontology, 79 I F, Geography, 55 DEPARTMENT OK TFTK INTKRIOli UNITED STATES "GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY CFIARLKS Ji. WALC'OTT, DniKcnin GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY OF A PORTION OF SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING WITH SI'KCIAT, KKFKRKNCK TO GOAL AND OI I_J G. WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1 90T C A, Economic Geology, 89 B' DesoriPtive Geo'ogy. HO Professional Paper No. 56 ^ Systematic Geology and Paleontology, 79 I F, Geography, 55 DEPARTMENT OK TFTK INTKRIOli UNITED STATES "GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY CFIARLKS Ji. WALC'OTT, DniKcnin GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY OF A PORTION OF SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING WITH SI'KCIAT, KKFKRKNCK TO GOAL AND OI I_J G. WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1 90T CONTENTS. Page. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................ 1 Methods of field work................................................................... 1 Preparation of base map from field sheets................................................ 3 Adjustments in T. 20 N., Us. 120-121 W.............................................. 5 Adjustments in T. 22 N., R. 117 W................................................... 6 Corners in T. 22 N., R. 118 W-..................'..................................... 6 Acknowledgments..................................................................... 6 For map data.......................... ................ ................._......... 6 For geologic data..................... .....'........................................ 8 In general.......................................................................... 8 CHAPTER I. HISTORICAL REVIEW OF GEOGRAPHICAL AND GEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS....... ...... 9 Period of early exploration, 1834-1858.................................................... 9 Period of the TIayden and King surveys, 1868-1877........................................ 11 Present period, 1881-1905............................................................... 15 Bibliography.......................................................................... 17 CHAPTER II. GEOGRAPHY. ................................................................. 33 Location................................'............................................... 33 Topography and drainage................................................................ 34 Elevations. ...................................s................................"........ 37 Results of spirit leveling by United States Coast and Geodetic Survey.................. 37 Results of spirit leveling by United States Geological Survey......................... 38 Climate............................................................................... 41 Common plants and animals............................................................. 44 Irrigation and crops..............'...................................................... 44 Grazing............................................................................... 45 Resources. .............................................................................. 46 Towns and villages...................................................................... 46 CHAPTER ITT. STRATIGRAPHIC GEOLOGY. ..................................................... 49 Introduction......................................................................... 49 Carboniferous...-......................-.-.-.-.-.-.--------............................. 49 Weber quartzite.................................................................... 49 Park City formation ................................................................. 50 Woodside formation........................................................ i....... 50 Thaynes formation........................:........................................ 50 Fossils. ......................................................................... 51 Undifferentiated Carboniferous...................................................... 53 In Absaroka Ridge............................................................. 53 In Crawford fountains.....'......,............................................... 53 Triassic................................................................................. 56 Nugget formation.................................................................. 56 Jurassic............................................................................... 56 Twin Creek formation.. :........................................................... 56 IV CONTENTS. III. STRATIGRAFHIC GEOLOGY Continued. Pago. Jurassic Continued. Beckwith formation.. .. ....... .. ............... ..... ........ ....... 57 Definition and distribution. ................. ................ 57 Age and time equivalents. ................................................ 57 Relation to "Dakota" of Fortieth Parallel Survey. ............... ............ _ 58 Cretaceous. .. .. ..-. ............... ....... 5!) Bear River formation. .............................................................. 60 Definition and distribution .. .................. .. ......... 60 Fossils. ..................................................................... 01 Relation lo horizons in the Cretaceous section east of the Rocky Mountain" . ...... 03 Aspen formation ................................................... 04 Frontier formation. ............ .. .............. ............. 65 Definition and distribution. ................. ............... 65 Fossils. ..................................................................... 65 Invertebrates. .........................................'.............. 05 Plants. ................................................................ 08 Age ............................./........................................... 0!) Billiard formation. ............ :............................................. 6!) Definition and distribution. ................................................... 69 Fossils. ..... .. ............. 1 . .. ............... ................ 71 Age............................................................................ 72 Adavillc formation. ................................................................ 72 Definition and distribution. .................................................... 72 Fossils and time relations. ...................................................... 73 Deposits of the period between the known Cretaceous and the known Eocene. ............. 75 Evanston formation. ............................................................... 7G Definition and distribution. .................................................... 76 Outcrops in the vicinity of Almy. ........................................... 77 Outcrops near the Michigan-Wyoming well. ................................. 81 Outcrops at the railroad cut east of Evanston. ................................ 82 Outcrops at south end of Medicine Butte. .................................. 83 In Baker well .near Spring Valley. .......................................... 84 Fossils ...................................................................... 94 Plants .................................................................. 84 Invertebrates. ..........................%......... 80 Age and time relations. ......................................................... 80 Wasatch group ...... 87 Subdivisions. .................................................................. 88 Almy formation ................................................ 80 Definition and distribution. .................................................... 89 Fopsilw. .........,...................-.......--........-.----------...... 89 Fowkes formation ................................................................... 90 Definition and distribution. .................................................... 00 ' Fossils..... ........... ...................... _ . ... ............ 02 Rocuiic .................................../.......................................... 92 Wasatch group (continued). ......................................................... 92 Knight formation ................................. 92 Definition and distribution. ................................................... 92 Fossils. .....................................----."..................... 93 . Vertebrate.................................................. ........... 93 Invertebrate. ......................................... 90 Green River formation. .......................................................... 97 Definition and distribution. ............................... 97 Fossils. ........................._--............ 98 Bridge? formation. ......................... 99 CONTENTS. V CHAPTER III. STRATIGRAI>HIC GEOLOGY Continued. Page. Quaternary............................................................................. 99 Comparisons with published section in this and adjoining regions. ..---.-.-............_.. 101 Mock's Sulphur Creek section....................................................... 101 Stanton's Weber Valley section................................. .................... 103 Green River sections near Flaming Gorge, Utah....................................... 105 Structure............................................................................... 108 Meridian anticline................................................................. 108 Lazeart syncline................................................................... 109 Absaroka fault and associated minor faults.........................................