Roadside Geology of Utah

by Felicie Williams, Lucy Chronic, Halka Chronic

Arches National Park. Bryce Canyon. Zion. When one thinks of Utah, it’s rocks and iconic landforms—preserved in a nearly endless list of national parks and monuments—come immediately to mind. Perhaps more so than any other state, Utah is built for geologic exploration, and geologists/authors Felicie Williams, Lucy Chronic, and Halka Chronic are its expert tour guides.The Beehive State is splitting at the seams with wondrous geological contrast. Utah’s high mountains, showcasing the results of what happens as the Earth bends, folds, and breaks itself apart, run like a backbone down the center of the state. To the east, the Colorado Plateau’s flat-lying sedimentary rock is wondrously exposed in canyons, arches, and breaks. To the west is the immense Great Basin, a region characterized by rank upon rank of long, narrow, gaunt mountain ranges alternating with desert basins that are among the flattest surfaces on Earth.Roadside Geology of Utah’s 65 road guides traverse the state’s major thoroughfares as well as its dusty, sleepy, winding two-lane highways. With fresh prose and more than 300 color photos, maps, and figures to boot, you too will become expert at reading Utah’s rocks.

Genres: Geology, Science, Reference, Nature, Nonfiction

504 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 15, 2014

Reviews

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently took a camping trip through parts of Utah, California, and Arizona. When people ask, "What was the highlight of the trip?" my answer is, "The entire state of Utah." Seriously, to this Easterner, the scenery in Utah is ridiculous, and it's not confined to its many parks -- it's around every corner. (Is that a spoiler?)

This book added significantly to my enjoyment, by telling me what I was looking at, geologically, and suggesting routes I would not otherwise have taken. It's technical, but well-written, and has useful maps and photos.

One thing I liked about the experience is that it's one that can be enjoyed while getting somewhere, at a decent rate of speed. In fact, some of the features discussed are so huge that to take them in properly requires movement -- seeing them from different angles, looking forward to what's over the next rise, pausing at a rest stop to get your bearings and see what that bizarre pink rock looks like close up, crumbled into sandy gravel.

I suppose the best way to appreciate the geology is in your own private plane; short of that, this roadside book is a great way to go.

[theⓋeganⒶrchist · Rating 5 out of 5]

maaagNIficent! if you love utah's amazing scenery and want to understand the history of how it came to be and gain a detailed knowledge of the various formations you're looking at now, then this is the book for you, baby!

the myriad color maps & photos really bring this book to life and aid the reader in her quest to uncover the secrets behind all of utah's unique and beautiful geologic masterpieces.

i wanted to read this book because i was mainly interested in the colorado plateau region. but i soon discovered that the basin and range and mountainous high country areas are just as fascinating in their historical evolution, with rocks older than the bottom of the grand canyon in some places...far out!

savor this book and you will come away with an even deeper appreciation for not only utah's breathtaking national parks & monuments, but all those other roadside places that perhaps formerly you may have overlooked...but now realize just how remarkable they really are!

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Halka Chronic is a treasure. I'm deeply moved by the legacy she's left, not just in these books but so clearly in her coauthor daughters and their own families. Just like Roadside Geology of Colorado, this book brims over with the beautiful and the fascinating. And kudos to the publisher, the paper and printing quality make the experience not just an intellectual joy but a visceral joy too.

[Erik Fjeldsted · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who works with soil in Utah, this helped me to understand a little more why some of the things are the way they are. The maps and figures were great, and sometimes a little distracting from the reading. This book does require a bit of previous geology exposure/understanding. I would not recommend this book unless they were interested in this very specific topic.

[Aidan Peairs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great description of overall geology and geologic history, I haven’t been in all the roads though

[Amanda Marsico · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun to see pictures of formations I've driven past and to know what they're made of. I keep it in the car for road trips in areas without internet signal.