Capitol Reef - a view north along the Strike Valley

This view is looking north along the Strike Valley of southern Capitol Reef National Park. The oldest rocks are on the left; these are the white cliffs of steeply dipping Navajo Sandstone. The barren grassy valley to the right of the Navajo Sandstone hogback ridge is underlain by soft sandstones and shales of the San Rafael Group (including the Carmel Formation, Entrada Sandstone, Curtis Formation, and Summerville Formation, from oldest to youngest respectively). The Carmel and Entrada Formations form the low orange hills at the base of the Navajo Sandstone cliffs. Curtis Formation that underlies the grassy valley consists of softer, less erosionally resistant shale than the other sandstone-bearing units that form the ridges. Sandstone outcrops in the foreground are in the lower Morrison Formation. All rock units are dipping steeply to the right (east) and all are of Jurassic age.