Imagine hiking through the arid canyons of western Colorado, where the snowmelt from towering mountains carves paths toward distant seas, and every rock tells a tale of ancient cataclysms. That's the magic of Geology Underfoot on Colorado's Western Slope, the latest in a beloved series that peels back the layers of this enigmatic terrain without overwhelming jargon.
West of the Continental Divide, the world gets complicated fast. Here, the rugged Colorado Rockies collide with the iconic red rock formations of the Colorado Plateau. Supervolcanoes left their mark with metal-rich fractures, while rivers reroute themselves amid uplifts and lava flows. It's a place where tiny mammals once dodged dinosaur footsteps, and the ground itself shifted over eons. If you've ever wondered why the cliffs look like they were painted by a giant's brush or how fossils ended up in these high deserts, this book provides the answers in straightforward, engaging prose.
The guide takes you to 26 fascinating sites, spotlighting four national park heavyweights: Mesa Verde with its ancient cliff dwellings perched on layered sediments, Black Canyon of the Gunnison's sheer drops revealing billions of years in a glance, Colorado National Monument's towering monoliths, and Dinosaur National Monument's quarry of prehistoric bones. Each chapter blends concise illustrations, vivid full-color photographs, and expert insights from a team of geologists. You'll learn about the ore deposits that fueled mining booms, the hot springs bubbling from deep earth, and the coal seams that powered early industries—all tied to the bigger picture of plate tectonics and climate shifts.
Whether you're a fossil hunter scanning arid badlands for trilobite traces, a rockhound pocketing colorful minerals, or just a family road-tripping through the Western Slope, this paperback companion makes geology accessible. Picture stopping at a viewpoint in Dinosaur National Monument and suddenly understanding the uplift that exposed those massive sauropod skeletons. Or tracing the path of the Gunnison River as it slices through Precambrian rock, feeling the power of water over millions of years. It's not just reading; it's a way to connect with the land on your next outing, whether that's a day hike or a multi-park tour.
At around 400 pages of dense yet delightful content, this 2022 release is your ticket to seeing Colorado anew. Grab it for your backpack and let the stories underfoot transform ordinary landscapes into epic narratives. Ideal for geology enthusiasts, outdoor explorers, or anyone who loves a good earth science yarn wrapped in stunning visuals.
