1. JOURNEY
THROUGH
BRYCE CANYON
Katie Eckleberry
Educ. 373 (Sandrick)
Inquiry Project 1

2. MY EXPERIENCE
 Over the summer I traveled to Arizona and
Utah with my grandma to visit my Aunt
Jennie and Uncle Gary. Throughout the trip
we visited many places including the Grand
Canyon, several national forests, the
Vermillion Cliffs, and Glenn Canyon to name
just a few. One of my favorite places that we
visited was Bryce Canyon. There were so
many breathtaking rock formations that were
so beautiful.

7. QUESTIONS THAT I HAD ABOUT OUR JOURNEY:
 How did the rock formations and canyon form?
 If formed by water, where did the source of
water come from?
 What types of components make up the rock
formations?
 What gives Bryce Canyon its vibrant colors?

8. CONNECTION TO INDICATORS
 4.3.5: Describe how waves, wind, water, and glacial
ice shape and reshape the Earth's land surface by
erosion of rock and soil in some areas and depositing
them in other areas.
 4.3.6: Recognize and describe that rock is composed
of different combinations of minerals.
 4.3.7: Explain that smaller rocks come from the
breakage and weathering of bedrock and larger rocks
and that soil is made partly from weathered rock,
partly from plant remains, and also contains many
living organisms.

9. FORMATION CONSTRUCTION
 “Bryce Canyon was not formed from erosion
initiated from a central stream, meaning it
technically is not a canyon. Instead headward
erosion has excavated large amphitheater-shaped
features in the Cenozoic-aged rocks of the
Paunsagunt Plateau.”
 “Wind is an effective form of erosion for many
locations. However, for Bryce Canyon wind has
little effect on the creation and destruction of the
various shapes.”
Bryce Canyon National Park. (2009). Retrieved September 8, 2009, from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryce_Canyon_National_Park
TravelWest. (2002). Bryce Canyon National Park Geology . Retrieved September 8, 2009, from BryceCanyon.com:
http://www.brycecanyon.com/geology.html

10. FORMATION CONTINUED
 “Because soils at Bryce Canyon are very dry, much of the
water runs off the surface. Only the top inch, or so of soil
absorbs rainfall before it starts to run off.”
 At Bryce Canyon, water in the form of ice, is the most
efficient form of erosion for breaking rock into smaller
pieces. The Paunsaugunt Plateau receives around 100
inches of snowfall and 200 days of freeze/ thaw each year.
This means that everyday a small amount of snow melts
and runs into the joints and freezes at night. An ice wedge
is formed in the joints as the water freezes and expands.
The joint will break after the wedge has caused a large
enough gap. This type of erosion is called frost wedging.
TravelWest. (2002). Bryce Canyon National Park Geology . Retrieved September 8, 2009, from BryceCanyon.com:
http://www.brycecanyon.com/geology.html

11. WATER SOURCES
 Since Bryce Canyon is not really a canyon, it was
not formed by a main water source. (It is actually
the eroded edge of Paunsaugunt Plateau.)
 The Paria River and its tributaries are still carving
the areas of Bryce Canyon today. Softer cretaceous
rocks that are loosened by erosion, are carried
away by the Paria River.

12. ROCK COMPONENTS
 “The hoodoos at Bryce Canyon are carved in the
Claron Formation. Limestone, siltstone, dolomite, and
mudstone make up the four different rock types that
form the Claron Formation. Each rock type erodes at
different rates.”
TravelWest. (2002). Bryce Canyon National Park Geology . Retrieved September 8, 2009, from BryceCanyon.com:
http://www.brycecanyon.com/geology.html

13. WHERE THE COLORS COME FROM:
 The pink color of the rocks is caused by rust.
Tiny particles of iron in the rock rust when
they are exposed to air. This process creates
all different shades of red and pink.
 Late afternoon and early morning light enrich
the natural colors and deepen the shadows
of the rocks.

14. OTHER INTERESTING INFORMATION!
 It took 65 million years for wind and water to sculpt the
Bryce Canyon into the amzing cathedrals, temples, spires,
and arches.
 “Bryce Canyon was established as a National Park in 1928
and named after Ebenezer Bryce, an early Mormon settler,
who homesteaded in Bryce in the mid 1870's. In about 1880
Ebenezer and family left the Bryce Canyon area, moved to
the Gila River Valley in Arizona and established the town of
Bryce.”
Works, Z. (2006). Bryce Canyon History. Retrieved September 8, 2009, from Bryce Canyon National Park:
http://www.zionnational-park.com/bhistory.htm

15. REFERENCES
Biff Baird, J. R. (2001). B is for Bryce Canyon. KC Publications.
Bryce Canyon National Park. (2009). Retrieved September 8, 2009,
from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryce_Canyon_National_Park
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. (2009). Retrieved September 8,
2009, from About.com:
http://gosw.about.com/od/nationalandstateparks/a/bryce.htm
TravelWest. (2002). Bryce Canyon National Park Geology .
Retrieved September 8, 2009, from BryceCanyon.com:
http://www.brycecanyon.com/geology.html
Works, Z. (2006). Bryce Canyon History. Retrieved September 8,
2009, from Bryce Canyon National Park: http://www.zionnational-
park.com/bhistory.htm