Geology of Death Valley, California
through photos

Paleozoic Rock

Death Valley's definitely one of my very favorite places, as a geologist and as a photographer. It's been that way since I first started visiting regularly in 1984. The stark landscape, the incredible variety of rock types and ages, the light... there is so much variety and abundance of geological features that I always see new things. Here is a selection of 20 images that show some of the region's most amazing geology.

 

Click on any of the photos below for more description and a resolution that works for power point
**By clicking on "next photo" you can see the series as a slideshow to get an overview of the landscape and geological history of Death Valley.

 
View of Death Valley salt pan
Death Valley salt pan from Dantes View
Death Valley salt pan
Death Valley Salt Pan at Sunrise
Playa Scraper, Racetrack Playa
Playa Scraper at Racetrack Playa
Dust storm on playa
Dust Storm on playa
Flood damage at Zabriskie Point
Flood Damage at Zabriskie Point
Spring Bloom
Spring flower bloom in Death Valley
Ventifacts
Ventifacts
Alluvial fan
Alluvial fan
Eureka Sand Dunes
Eureka Sand Dunes
Star dune at sunset
Star Dune at Sunset
Ubehebe Craters
Ubehebe Craters as seen from the air
Badwater Spring
Badwater Spring and fault scarp
Frontal fault of Black Mountains
Aerial View of frontal fault of Black Mtns.
Aerial view of Death ValleyBlack Mtns with Copper Canyon Turtleback Copper Canyon Turtleback fault
Copper Canyon Turtleback fault
Normal faults
Normal faults in marble. Mosaic Canyon
Angular Unconformity at Ryan
Angular Unconformity at Ryan
Pegmatite intruding Precambrian gneiss
Pegmatite intruding Precambrian Gneiss
Aerial View of Titus Canyon Anticline
Aerial View of Titus Canyon Anticline
Diabase sill
Proterozoic Diabase Sill in Crystal Spg Fm.

For a Geologic Map of Death Valley National Park, click here


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