Where in the world?

I took this photo last summer during a family trip. Do you know where I was? What does the landscape tell you? Notice the elevation differences and the color of the soil. Is this an arid or damp climate? Where in the world can you still find American bison? Any guesses? Here's a big hint.

Mountains and moose

Today, my family went for a picnic near a mountainside lake. On the drive down the canyon, we pulled off of the road several times to read the signs explaining the geology of the area. My older son and I decided to stop at two different rockslides to examine the rocks.

Now, a rockslide may not sound like much fun. But for two amateur geology buffs with over-active imaginations, it was a blast. We took home several finds: a sparkly rock that surely contains gold, a piece of shale with a rust-colored inclusion that just has to be a fossiled tree leaf, and a striated rock that might become a jewel someday.

But my favorite part of the day came as I was driving along the canyon road and saw something out of the corner of my eye. Two moose were frolicking in the grassy wetland area flanking a nearby stream. They almost looked like horses, except that their muzzles were far too large. Unlike most moose I've seen in my life -- slow and lumbering -- these two were clearly rough-housing and playing in the water.

It was an awesome sight. I wish I could have taken a picture, but in a way, I'm glad that I couldn't. The road was winding and narrow at that point, with no place to stop for a photo. And that's probably why the moose were there.

Geology in your backseat

Are you planning a vacation somewhere in the United States? Before you leave on your next trip, be sure to take along some geology. Roadside Geology guides are available for a number of U.S. locations. Road cuts provide a wonderful opportunity to take a peek at what’s normally hidden deep beneath the earth’s surface.

Weeping rock of the Boone FormationPhoto credit: Roxnoil
Along the highways of Missouri, you often see weeping limestone faces -- like the one shown above -- due to the porous nature of this sedimentary rock. These seeps can be especially beautiful when they freeze in the wintertime, forming dripping white icicles instead of appearing as dark streaks.


Pinnacles National Monument, California
Photo credit: National Park Service(Note: If you tip your head to the left, the parallel lines in the rock look horizontal. That gives you a sense of how much the rocks have been displaced (moved) over time.)

Driving through the canyons of Utah, rock layers sometimes appear vertical instead of horizontal due to uplift (see photo above for an example of this in California).


Lava flow near Kalapana, Hawaii (June 1990)
Photo credit: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological SurveyCheck out the USGS Lava covers Kalapana for more great images!
And if you are exploring the Big Island of Hawaii, some of your intended highways may have been covered by lava flow – a prime example of geology in action!

Learn more about U.S. geology by visiting the United States Geological Survey or drop by the Association of American State Geologists and click on the map to visit each state’s own Geological Survey.