Garden of the Gods – Layers

As you analyze the rocks, one feature to notice is the layers found within the various sediments. Layers are found all over the park. Below is a listing of the various types of rocks found within the park:

Fountain Arkose - course-grained sediment generally found in places such as balanced rock

Lyons Sandstone - made of fine-grained quartz sandstone

Lykins Formation - made of a red, thin-bedded, sand siltstones where shells are often found

Morrison Formation - made of clays, siltstones and shale

Purgatoire Formation – bleached sandstone, shale, siltstone

Dakota Sandstone – marine sandstone

Benton Group – shale and limestone found all over the Garden of the Gods

Niobara Formation – mostly limestone and marine fossils

Pierre Shale – the youngest rock where clams, ammonites and bones of fossil fish can be found

Source: Samantha T. (n.d.). Garden of the Gods. University of Colorado. Retrieved October 24, 2010 from http://www.uccs.edu/~geomorph/sites/garden_of_the_gods.html.