NPS: Nature & Science» Geology Resources Division

Tour of Park Geology

Plate Tectonics

Diagram of convergent plates (USGS)

Divergent Plate Boundaries

Continential Rifts
- Active
- Ancient
Passive Continential Margins

Convergent Plate Boundaries

Ocean-Ocean Subduction Zones
Collisional Mountain Ranges
Ocean-Continent Subduction Zones
- Active Volcanic Arc
- Ancient Arc
- Accretionary Wedge
- Low-Angle Subduction

Diagram of relative motion of plates along the transform San Andreas fault

Transform Plate Boundaries

Continential
Oceanic

Hot Spots

Continential
Oceanic

Accreted Terrains

Divergent Plate Boundaries

Continential Rifts
- Active
  - Basin and Range
    - Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada
    - Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
    - Great Basin National Park, Nevada
    - Saguaro National Park, Arizona
    - Devils Postpile National Monument, California
    - Joshua Tree National Park, California
    - Lake Mead National Recreation Area, California
    - Lava Beds National Monument, California
    - Oregon Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona
    - Sunset Crater National Monument, Arizona
    - Timpanogos Cave National Monument, Utah
  - Rio Grand Rift
    - Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico
    - Capulin Volcano National Monument, New Mexico
    - White Sands National Monument, New Mexico
- Ancient
  - Keweenawan Rift
    - Isle Royale National Park, Michigan
    - Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wisconsin
    - Grand Portage National Monument, Minnesota
    - Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan
    - Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, Minnesota and Wisconsin
Passive Continential Margins
- Atlantic Coast
  - Acadia National Park, Maine
  - Biscayne National Park, Florida
  - Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland and Virginia
  - Canaveral National Seashore, Florida
  - Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts
  - Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina
  - Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina
  - Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia
  - Fire Island National Seashore, New York
  - Gateway National Recreation Area, New York and New Jersey
- Gulf Coast
  - Everglades National Park, Florida
  - Big Thicket National Preserve, Texas
  - Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida and Mississippi
  - Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, Louisiana
  - Padre Island National Seashore, Texas

Convergent Plate Boundaries

Ocean-Ocean Subduction Zones
- Alaska Peninsula
  - Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve, Alaska
- Western Pacific
  - National Park of American Samoa, American Samoa
Collisional Mountain Ranges
- Appalachian Mountains
  - Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee
  - Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
  - Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Georgia to Maine
  - Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia and North Carolina
  - Bluestone National Scenic River, West Virginia
  - Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, North Carolina and Tennessee
  - Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Georgia
  - Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Pennsylvania
  - Gauley River National Recreation Area, West Virginia
  - Obed Wild and Scenic River, Tennessee
  - Russell Cave National Monument, Alabama
- Ouachita Mountains
  - Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
  - Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Oklahoma
- Marathon Mountains
  - Big Bend National Park, Texas
  - Rio Grand Wild and Scenic River, Texas
- Brooks Range
  - Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska
  - Noatak National Preserve, Alaska
  - Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Alaska
Ocean-Continent Subduction Zones
- Active Volcanic Arc
  - Cascades
    - Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
    - Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
    - Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
    - Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area, California
  - Alaska
    - Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska
    - Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska
    - Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska
- Ancient Arc
  - Sierra Nevada Mountains
    - Kings Canyon National Park, California
    - Sequoia National Park, California
    - Yosemite National Park, California
- Accretionary Wedge
  - Coast Ranges
    - Olympic National Park, Washington
    - Oregon Caves National Monument, Oregon
    - Redwood National and State Parks, California
- Low-Angle Subduction
  - Laramide Uplifts
    - Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
    - Glacier National Park, Montana
    - Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas
    - Rocky Mountains National Park, Colorado
    - Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota
    - Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Montana and Wyoming
    - Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado
    - Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Colorado
    - Jewel Cave National Monument, South Dakota
    - Mount Rushmore National Monument, South Dakota

Transform Plate Boundaries

Continential
- San Andreas Fault
  - Channel Islands National Park, California
  - Cabrillo National Monument, California
  - Golden Gate National Recreation Area, California
  - Joshua Tree National Park, California
  - Muir Woods National Monument, California
  - Pinnacles National Monument, California
  - Point Reyes National Seashore, California
  - Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, California
Oceanic
- Caribbean
  - Virgin Islands National Park, Virgin Island
  - Buck Island Reef National Monument, Virgin Islands

Hot Spots

Continential
- Yellowstone
  - Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana
  - Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho
Oceanic
- Hawaii - Emperor
  - Haleakala National Park, Hawaii
  - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii

Accreted Terrains

North American Cordillera
- Denali National Park, Alaska
- Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska
- North Cascades National Park, Washington
- Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska
- Yukon-Charlie Rivers National Preserve, Alaska
- Ross Lake National Recreation Area, Washington

This page lists parks that have a common geologic theme. If you would like to contribute images or materials for park pages, please contact The National Park Service

Source: Robert J. Lillie

TOP OF PAGE