UT-EardleyCanyon2.tif | Chris Case Photography

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Eardley Canyon cuts sharply through Utah's San Rafael Reef, at the eastern edge of the San Rafael Swell.

The swell, approximately 75 miles (121 km) by 40 miles (64 km), consists of a giant dome-shaped anticline of sandstone, shale, and limestone that was pushed up millions of years ago. Since that time, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into numerous valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas and buttes.

Filename: UT-EardleyCanyon2.tif
Copyright: Chris Case
Image Size: 5616x3744 / 60.2MB; Utah Eardley Canyon canyon canyoneering slots narrows slot canyon adventure nature environment wilderness wild wilderness wilderness study area serpentine geology geologic geologic features slickrock Red Rock Wilderness Act San Rafael Reef San Rafael Swell anticline
Contained in galleries: Utah Landscapes, Landscape

Eardley Canyon cuts sharply through Utah's San Rafael Reef, at the eastern edge of the San Rafael Swell.<br />
<br />
The swell, approximately 75 miles (121 km) by 40 miles (64 km), consists of a giant dome-shaped anticline of sandstone, shale, and limestone that was pushed up millions of years ago. Since that time, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into numerous valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas and buttes.