Geologic Wonders of the National Parks
The National Parks preserve spectacular icons of our nation’s geologic heritage and contain some of the world’s finest examples of geologic phenomena. From glaciers to barrier islands, from volcanoes to dinosaurs, the parks have it all including arches, canyons, caves, mountains and sand dunes.
Here, we present a list of some premier geologic sites in the National Parks. These memorable sites are too big for any museum and too beautiful to miss. We hope that you will be inspired to seek out a personal geologic experience on your next visit to the world’s most magnificent rock collection – your National Parks.
Click on specific locations on the map below, or use the quick reference guide to the right. Make sure you also visit the geologic superlatives page to learn about some of the record holding geologic features in National Parks that didn't make the top 30.
We consider this list to be a “work-in-Progress” and fully intend to keep adding sites to the list. If you have suggestions for this website please let us know. We would love to hear about your favorite geologic sites in the National Parks.
Less frequently considered, but equally important to park ecosystems, are the commonplace geologic resources beneath our feet and the geologic processes that alter them. To learn more about how the National Park Service manages these resources, please explore the rest of the Park Geology website.
