Grand Canyon Cavern

May 06, 2005

Gc_cavern copy

Provided by: Thomas Johnson, Alpha Geoscience
Summary authors & editors: Thomas Johnson

This photograph (taken in August 2003) is a testament to the erosive power of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon of Arizona. The cavern in the photo is at the base of the Grand Canyon and is a popular stopping point for raft trips down the canyon. The Colorado River carved laterally into the relatively soft sandstone forming the walls of the canyon at this location. As the river continued to cut deeper into these rock layers, it eventually abandoned this sizeable undercut (cavern) in the canyon wall.

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