Vermillion Cliffs

November 08, 2011

Vermillion_cliffs3

Photographer: Dale Chadwick  
Summary Author
: Dale Chadwick

The photo above features the Vermillion Cliffs of northern Arizona. This view is from near Lee's Ferry, Arizona on a crystal clear early fall day. The lighter colored rocks in the foreground are the Kaibab Formation, a Permian marine limestone. The Colorado River has cut Marble Canyon through this formation -- behind the camera. The red cliffs in the background are terrestrial deposits of Triassic and Jurassic age. Below the darkest red layer, the multi-colored Chinle Formation may be detected. Further to the south, this formation is better exposed in the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest National Park. Photo taken on September 24, 2011. [Revised August 2017]