Cambrian Ocean

The abrupt cliffs that dominate the entrance of Rock Canyon are the well-sorted sands of the Tintic Quarztite. Rocks tell stories. The evidence contained in their textures and compositions give us hints to their past histories and tell us how the rocks formed millions of years ago. You will see how these sedimentary rocks represent a nearshore beach environment that once existed in a Utah that is now high and dry. This dramatically different environment existed during the Cambrian Period (about 540 million years ago) Since then the beach sands have been buried under other layers and folded so they currently stand on end. In this section of the virtual field trip, you will explore the possible depositional environment and paleogeography associated with these rocks.