Cretaceous Tectonics

This short animation, created by Dr. Chris Scotese, shows the position of Utah and the movement of plates during the

Cretaceous Period.  The westward movement of North America away from Europe and Africa is what caused the plate collision that formed the Rooky Mountains  During this period the Atlantic Ocean is opened between the Americas and Africa and India is racing at break-neck speed (in tectonic terms, anyway)  toward its eventual collision with Asia.