Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Where can I find information about the geology and natural history of National Parks?

Our National Parks are the showcases of our nation's geological heritage. The National Park Service has websites for most individual parks that include information about their geology and natural history. 

A source of information from the USGS is our Geology and Ecology of National Parks website. The website has listings for regions of the country; selected parks are listed within each region.

Geologic maps for some national parks are available from the USGS through the USGS Store and the National Geologic Map Database.

As the science agency for the Department of the Interior, the USGS does a great deal of research in national parks. All of our related publications are listed in the USGS Publications Warehouse. You can also check our Science Data Catalog.

Learn more: Mapping the National Parks

 

Related Content

link
Image: Moon over Half Dome Panorama

How did Half Dome, the massive rock monument in Yosemite National Park, acquire its unique shape?

At the head of the valley in Yosemite National Park - as if on a pedestal - stands Half Dome. It is smoothly rounded on three sides and a sheer vertical face on the fourth. Half Dome, which stands nearly 8,800 feet (2,682 meters) above sea level, is composed of granodiorite, and is the remains of a magma chamber that cooled slowly and crystallized thousands of feet beneath the Earth's surface. The...

link

How did Half Dome, the massive rock monument in Yosemite National Park, acquire its unique shape?

At the head of the valley in Yosemite National Park - as if on a pedestal - stands Half Dome. It is smoothly rounded on three sides and a sheer vertical face on the fourth. Half Dome, which stands nearly 8,800 feet (2,682 meters) above sea level, is composed of granodiorite, and is the remains of a magma chamber that cooled slowly and crystallized thousands of feet beneath the Earth's surface. The...

Learn More
link
Geologic Map

Are there geologic maps or publications for where I live?

Detailed geologic mapping has not been completed for the entire United States, but maps are available for most locations.Geologic maps at many scales and from many sources are listed in the National Geologic Map Database.Some geologic maps can be purchased in hard copy through the USGS Store.Download digital geologic maps for entire states from the USGS Mineral Resources Online Geospatial Data...

link

Are there geologic maps or publications for where I live?

Detailed geologic mapping has not been completed for the entire United States, but maps are available for most locations.Geologic maps at many scales and from many sources are listed in the National Geologic Map Database.Some geologic maps can be purchased in hard copy through the USGS Store.Download digital geologic maps for entire states from the USGS Mineral Resources Online Geospatial Data...

Learn More
link
Geologic map of the confluence of the Green and Yampa rivers, Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado/Utah

What is the National Geologic Map Database?

The National Geologic Map Database (NGMDB) is an archive of geoscience maps (including geology maps), reports, and stratigraphic information for the United States. The NGMDB contains information on more than 90,000 maps and related geoscience reports published from the early 1800s to the present day, by more than 630 agencies, universities, associations, and private companies. Much of the content...

link

What is the National Geologic Map Database?

The National Geologic Map Database (NGMDB) is an archive of geoscience maps (including geology maps), reports, and stratigraphic information for the United States. The NGMDB contains information on more than 90,000 maps and related geoscience reports published from the early 1800s to the present day, by more than 630 agencies, universities, associations, and private companies. Much of the content...

Learn More
USGS scientist doing weather station repairs in Glacier National Park.
link
Geologist Jamey Jones studying and preparing to collect samples of igneous rocks in Lake Clark National Park
link
Mapping the glacier's edge in Glacier National Park.
link
A diver takes a core sample from a massive brain coral (Diploria strigosa) in Dry Tortugas National Park
link
Collecting macroinvertebrates in Glacier National Park.
link
Image: Scientist Climbs Giant Sequoia, Sequoia National Park, CA
link
Canyonlands National Park as seen by Landsat 8
link
Image: Sandstone Peaks in Zion National Park
link
Image: Sandstone Formation in Arches National Park
link
USGS automated water-quality sampling equipment in Yosemite National Park, 2010
link
Image: Old Faithful Erupting
link
link
Image: Bryce Canyon National Park
link
Filter Total Items: 15

Magnetic monitoring in Saguaro National Park

On a sandy, arid plain, near the Rincon Moun­tain Visitor Center of Saguaro National Park, tucked in among brittlebush, creosote, and other hardy desert plants, is an unusual type of observatory—a small unmanned station that is used for monitor­ing the Earth’s variable magnetic field. Named for the nearby city of Tucson, Arizona, the observatory is 1 of 14 that the Geomagnetism Program of the U.S.
Authors
Jeffrey J. Love, Carol Finn, Yesenia C. Gamez Valdez, Don Swann
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Geomagnetism Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Sculpted by water, elevated by earthquakes—The coastal landscape of Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Within Glacier Bay National Park in southeastern Alaska, the Fairweather Fault represents the onshore boundary between two of Earth’s constantly moving tectonic plates: the North American Plate and the Yakutat microplate. Satellite measurements indicate that during the past few decades the Yakutat microplate has moved northwest at a rate of nearly 5 centimeters per year relative to the North Ameri
Authors
Robert C. Witter, Adam LeWinter, Adrian M. Bender, Craig Glennie, David C. Finnegan
By
Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program, Alaska Science Center

The Water-Quality Partnership for National Parks—U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service, 1998–2016

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Park Service (NPS) work together through the USGS–NPS Water-Quality Partnership to support a broad range of policy and management needs related to high-priority water-quality issues in national parks. The program was initiated in 1998 as part of the Clean Water Action Plan, a Presidential initiative to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Clean
Authors
Mark A. Nilles, Pete E Penoyer, Amy S. Ludtke, Alan C. Ellsworth
By
National Water Quality Program

A sight "fearfully grand": eruptions of Lassen Peak, California, 1914 to 1917

On May 22, 1915, a large explosive eruption at the summit of Lassen Peak, California, the southernmost active volcano in the Cascade Range, devastated nearby areas and rained volcanic ash as far away as 280 miles to the east. This explosion was the most powerful in a series of eruptions during 1914–17 that were the last to occur in the Cascade Range before the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, Wa
Authors
Michael A. Clynne, Robert L. Christiansen, Peter H. Stauffer, James W. Hendley, Heather A. Bleick
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

The ongoing Puʻu ʻŌʻō eruption of Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaiʻi: 30 years of eruptive activity

The Puʻu ʻŌʻō eruption of Kīlauea Volcano is its longest rift-zone eruption in more than 500 years. Since the eruption began in 1983, lava flows have buried 48 square miles (125 square kilometers) of land and added about 500 acres (200 hectares) of new land to the Island of Hawaiʻi. The eruption not only challenges local communities, which must adapt to an ever-changing and sometimes-destructive e
Authors
Tim R. Orr, Christina Heliker, Matthew R. Patrick
By
Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

Wetland fire remote sensing research--The Greater Everglades example

Fire is a major factor in the Everglades ecosystem. For thousands of years, lightning-strike fires from summer thunderstorms have helped create and maintain a dynamic landscape suited both to withstand fire and recover quickly in the wake of frequent fires. Today, managers in the Everglades National Park are implementing controlled burns to promote healthy, sustainable vegetation patterns and ecos
Authors
John W. Jones

Geology along Mosca Pass Trail, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado

Mosca Pass Trail takes the hiker on a journey into the Earth's crust. Here you can see the results of tremendous tectonic forces that bend and tear rocks apart and raise mountain ranges. The trail begins near the Sangre de Cristo fault, which separates the Sangre de Cristo Range from the San Luis Valley. The valley is part of the Rio Grande rift, a series of fault basins extending from southern Ne
Authors
David A. Lindsey, Terry L. Klein, Andrew Valdez, Robert J. Webster
By
Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Trace metals related to historical iron smelting at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Berks and Chester Counties, Pennsylvania

Iron ore containing elevated concentrations of trace metals was smelted at Hopewell Furnace during its 113 years of operation (1771-1883). The ore used at Hopewell Furnace was obtained from iron mines within 5 miles of the furnace. The iron-ore deposits were formed about 200 million years ago and contain abundant magnetite, the primary iron mineral, and accessory minerals enriched in arsenic, coba
Authors
Ronald A. Sloto
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Inventory and protection of salt marshes from risks of sea-level rise at Acadia National Park, Maine

Recent U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) climate studies in the northeastern United States have shown substantial evidence of climate-related changes during the last 100 years, including earlier snowmelt runoff, decreasing occurrence of river ice, and decreasing winter snowpack. These studies related to climate change are being expanded to include investigation of coastal wetlands that might be at ris
Authors
Robert W. Dudley, Martha G. Nielsen
By
Water Resources Mission Area, New England Water Science Center

Three experimental high-flow releases from Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona— Effects on the downstream Colorado River ecosystem

Three high-flow experiments (HFEs) were conducted by the U.S. Department of the Interior at Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona, in March 1996, November 2004, and March 2008. Also known as artificial or controlled floods, these scheduled releases of water above the dam's powerplant capacity were designed to mimic pre-dam seasonal flooding on the Colorado River. The goal of the HFEs was to determine whether h
Authors
Theodore S. Melis, Paul E. Grams, Theodore A. Kennedy, Barbara E. Ralston, Christopher T. Robinson, John C. Schmidt, Lara M. Schmit, Richard A. Valdez, Scott A. Wright
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Southwest Biological Science Center

Lidar vegetation mapping in national parks: Gulf Coast Network

Airborne lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) is an active remote sensing technique used to collect accurate elevation data over large areas. Lidar provides an extremely high level of regional topographic detail, which makes this technology an essential component of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) science strategy. The USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program (CMGP) has collaborated with the National
Authors
John Brock, Monica Palaseanu-Lovejoy, Martha Segura
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Drilling a Deep Geologic Test Well at Fort Pulaski National Monument, Georgia

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service, is drilling a deep geologic test well at Fort Pulaski National Monument, Georgia. The operation is scheduled to run between mid-February and mid-April 2010. When completed, the well will be about 1,500 feet deep. The purpose of this test well is to gain knowledge about the regional-scale Floridan aquifer, an important sourc
Authors
Arthur P. Schultz, Ellen Seefelt
link

Shedding Light on Contaminants in Congaree National Park

A recent study led by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National Park Service found dozens of contaminants within the protected areas...

Read Article
link

Finding Yourself Outdoors

Updated USGS digital topographic maps feature more trails and other recreation points of interest

Read Article
link

Glaciers Rapidly Shrinking and Disappearing: 50 Years of Glacier Change in Montana

The warming climate has dramatically reduced the size of 39 glaciers in Montana since 1966, some by as much as 85 percent, according to data released...

Read Article
link

EarthView–Landslide Spreads 6 Miles Across Glacier Bay National Park

Two snapshots from Landsat show the extent of a landslide in an Alaska National Park.

Read Article

Related Content

  • FAQ
    link
    Image: Moon over Half Dome Panorama

    How did Half Dome, the massive rock monument in Yosemite National Park, acquire its unique shape?

    At the head of the valley in Yosemite National Park - as if on a pedestal - stands Half Dome. It is smoothly rounded on three sides and a sheer vertical face on the fourth. Half Dome, which stands nearly 8,800 feet (2,682 meters) above sea level, is composed of granodiorite, and is the remains of a magma chamber that cooled slowly and crystallized thousands of feet beneath the Earth's surface. The...

    link

    How did Half Dome, the massive rock monument in Yosemite National Park, acquire its unique shape?

    At the head of the valley in Yosemite National Park - as if on a pedestal - stands Half Dome. It is smoothly rounded on three sides and a sheer vertical face on the fourth. Half Dome, which stands nearly 8,800 feet (2,682 meters) above sea level, is composed of granodiorite, and is the remains of a magma chamber that cooled slowly and crystallized thousands of feet beneath the Earth's surface. The...

    Learn More
    link
    Geologic Map

    Are there geologic maps or publications for where I live?

    Detailed geologic mapping has not been completed for the entire United States, but maps are available for most locations.Geologic maps at many scales and from many sources are listed in the National Geologic Map Database.Some geologic maps can be purchased in hard copy through the USGS Store.Download digital geologic maps for entire states from the USGS Mineral Resources Online Geospatial Data...

    link

    Are there geologic maps or publications for where I live?

    Detailed geologic mapping has not been completed for the entire United States, but maps are available for most locations.Geologic maps at many scales and from many sources are listed in the National Geologic Map Database.Some geologic maps can be purchased in hard copy through the USGS Store.Download digital geologic maps for entire states from the USGS Mineral Resources Online Geospatial Data...

    Learn More
    link
    Geologic map of the confluence of the Green and Yampa rivers, Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado/Utah

    What is the National Geologic Map Database?

    The National Geologic Map Database (NGMDB) is an archive of geoscience maps (including geology maps), reports, and stratigraphic information for the United States. The NGMDB contains information on more than 90,000 maps and related geoscience reports published from the early 1800s to the present day, by more than 630 agencies, universities, associations, and private companies. Much of the content...

    link

    What is the National Geologic Map Database?

    The National Geologic Map Database (NGMDB) is an archive of geoscience maps (including geology maps), reports, and stratigraphic information for the United States. The NGMDB contains information on more than 90,000 maps and related geoscience reports published from the early 1800s to the present day, by more than 630 agencies, universities, associations, and private companies. Much of the content...

    Learn More
  • Multimedia
    USGS scientist doing weather station repairs in Glacier National Park.
    link
    Geologist Jamey Jones studying and preparing to collect samples of igneous rocks in Lake Clark National Park
    link
    Mapping the glacier's edge in Glacier National Park.
    link
    A diver takes a core sample from a massive brain coral (Diploria strigosa) in Dry Tortugas National Park
    link
    Collecting macroinvertebrates in Glacier National Park.
    link
    Image: Scientist Climbs Giant Sequoia, Sequoia National Park, CA
    link
    Canyonlands National Park as seen by Landsat 8
    link
    Image: Sandstone Peaks in Zion National Park
    link
    Image: Sandstone Formation in Arches National Park
    link
    USGS automated water-quality sampling equipment in Yosemite National Park, 2010
    link
    Image: Old Faithful Erupting
    link
    link
    Image: Bryce Canyon National Park
    link
  • Publications
    Filter Total Items: 15

    Magnetic monitoring in Saguaro National Park

    On a sandy, arid plain, near the Rincon Moun­tain Visitor Center of Saguaro National Park, tucked in among brittlebush, creosote, and other hardy desert plants, is an unusual type of observatory—a small unmanned station that is used for monitor­ing the Earth’s variable magnetic field. Named for the nearby city of Tucson, Arizona, the observatory is 1 of 14 that the Geomagnetism Program of the U.S.
    Authors
    Jeffrey J. Love, Carol Finn, Yesenia C. Gamez Valdez, Don Swann
    By
    Natural Hazards Mission Area, Geomagnetism Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

    Sculpted by water, elevated by earthquakes—The coastal landscape of Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

    Within Glacier Bay National Park in southeastern Alaska, the Fairweather Fault represents the onshore boundary between two of Earth’s constantly moving tectonic plates: the North American Plate and the Yakutat microplate. Satellite measurements indicate that during the past few decades the Yakutat microplate has moved northwest at a rate of nearly 5 centimeters per year relative to the North Ameri
    Authors
    Robert C. Witter, Adam LeWinter, Adrian M. Bender, Craig Glennie, David C. Finnegan
    By
    Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program, Alaska Science Center

    The Water-Quality Partnership for National Parks—U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service, 1998–2016

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Park Service (NPS) work together through the USGS–NPS Water-Quality Partnership to support a broad range of policy and management needs related to high-priority water-quality issues in national parks. The program was initiated in 1998 as part of the Clean Water Action Plan, a Presidential initiative to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Clean
    Authors
    Mark A. Nilles, Pete E Penoyer, Amy S. Ludtke, Alan C. Ellsworth
    By
    National Water Quality Program

    A sight "fearfully grand": eruptions of Lassen Peak, California, 1914 to 1917

    On May 22, 1915, a large explosive eruption at the summit of Lassen Peak, California, the southernmost active volcano in the Cascade Range, devastated nearby areas and rained volcanic ash as far away as 280 miles to the east. This explosion was the most powerful in a series of eruptions during 1914–17 that were the last to occur in the Cascade Range before the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, Wa
    Authors
    Michael A. Clynne, Robert L. Christiansen, Peter H. Stauffer, James W. Hendley, Heather A. Bleick
    By
    Natural Hazards Mission Area, Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

    The ongoing Puʻu ʻŌʻō eruption of Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaiʻi: 30 years of eruptive activity

    The Puʻu ʻŌʻō eruption of Kīlauea Volcano is its longest rift-zone eruption in more than 500 years. Since the eruption began in 1983, lava flows have buried 48 square miles (125 square kilometers) of land and added about 500 acres (200 hectares) of new land to the Island of Hawaiʻi. The eruption not only challenges local communities, which must adapt to an ever-changing and sometimes-destructive e
    Authors
    Tim R. Orr, Christina Heliker, Matthew R. Patrick
    By
    Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

    Wetland fire remote sensing research--The Greater Everglades example

    Fire is a major factor in the Everglades ecosystem. For thousands of years, lightning-strike fires from summer thunderstorms have helped create and maintain a dynamic landscape suited both to withstand fire and recover quickly in the wake of frequent fires. Today, managers in the Everglades National Park are implementing controlled burns to promote healthy, sustainable vegetation patterns and ecos
    Authors
    John W. Jones

    Geology along Mosca Pass Trail, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado

    Mosca Pass Trail takes the hiker on a journey into the Earth's crust. Here you can see the results of tremendous tectonic forces that bend and tear rocks apart and raise mountain ranges. The trail begins near the Sangre de Cristo fault, which separates the Sangre de Cristo Range from the San Luis Valley. The valley is part of the Rio Grande rift, a series of fault basins extending from southern Ne
    Authors
    David A. Lindsey, Terry L. Klein, Andrew Valdez, Robert J. Webster
    By
    Mineral Resources Program, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

    Trace metals related to historical iron smelting at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Berks and Chester Counties, Pennsylvania

    Iron ore containing elevated concentrations of trace metals was smelted at Hopewell Furnace during its 113 years of operation (1771-1883). The ore used at Hopewell Furnace was obtained from iron mines within 5 miles of the furnace. The iron-ore deposits were formed about 200 million years ago and contain abundant magnetite, the primary iron mineral, and accessory minerals enriched in arsenic, coba
    Authors
    Ronald A. Sloto
    By
    Water Resources Mission Area, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

    Inventory and protection of salt marshes from risks of sea-level rise at Acadia National Park, Maine

    Recent U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) climate studies in the northeastern United States have shown substantial evidence of climate-related changes during the last 100 years, including earlier snowmelt runoff, decreasing occurrence of river ice, and decreasing winter snowpack. These studies related to climate change are being expanded to include investigation of coastal wetlands that might be at ris
    Authors
    Robert W. Dudley, Martha G. Nielsen
    By
    Water Resources Mission Area, New England Water Science Center

    Three experimental high-flow releases from Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona— Effects on the downstream Colorado River ecosystem

    Three high-flow experiments (HFEs) were conducted by the U.S. Department of the Interior at Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona, in March 1996, November 2004, and March 2008. Also known as artificial or controlled floods, these scheduled releases of water above the dam's powerplant capacity were designed to mimic pre-dam seasonal flooding on the Colorado River. The goal of the HFEs was to determine whether h
    Authors
    Theodore S. Melis, Paul E. Grams, Theodore A. Kennedy, Barbara E. Ralston, Christopher T. Robinson, John C. Schmidt, Lara M. Schmit, Richard A. Valdez, Scott A. Wright
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Southwest Biological Science Center

    Lidar vegetation mapping in national parks: Gulf Coast Network

    Airborne lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) is an active remote sensing technique used to collect accurate elevation data over large areas. Lidar provides an extremely high level of regional topographic detail, which makes this technology an essential component of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) science strategy. The USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program (CMGP) has collaborated with the National
    Authors
    John Brock, Monica Palaseanu-Lovejoy, Martha Segura
    By
    Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

    Drilling a Deep Geologic Test Well at Fort Pulaski National Monument, Georgia

    The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service, is drilling a deep geologic test well at Fort Pulaski National Monument, Georgia. The operation is scheduled to run between mid-February and mid-April 2010. When completed, the well will be about 1,500 feet deep. The purpose of this test well is to gain knowledge about the regional-scale Floridan aquifer, an important sourc
    Authors
    Arthur P. Schultz, Ellen Seefelt
  • News
    link

    Shedding Light on Contaminants in Congaree National Park

    A recent study led by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National Park Service found dozens of contaminants within the protected areas...

    Read Article
    link

    Finding Yourself Outdoors

    Updated USGS digital topographic maps feature more trails and other recreation points of interest

    Read Article
    link

    Glaciers Rapidly Shrinking and Disappearing: 50 Years of Glacier Change in Montana

    The warming climate has dramatically reduced the size of 39 glaciers in Montana since 1966, some by as much as 85 percent, according to data released...

    Read Article
    link

    EarthView–Landslide Spreads 6 Miles Across Glacier Bay National Park

    Two snapshots from Landsat show the extent of a landslide in an Alaska National Park.

    Read Article