Grand Canyon panorama viewed from Powell Point.
Grand Canyon Panorama viewed from Powell Point.
Grand Canyon panorama viewed from Hopi Point.
Grand Canyon panorma viewed from Mather Point.
Grand Canyon panorama viewed from Grandview Point.
The Colorado River has eroded through sedimentary layers and into underlying basement rock. The sedimentary layers extend most superficially from limestone laid down 270 Ma ago in the early Permian Period to sandstone laid down 525 Ma ago in the early Cambrian period. The Bedrock is composed of metamorphic schist and gneiss and granite formed 1680 to 1840 Ma ago.
Superficial sedimentary layers are composed of Kaibab Formation, Limestone formed 270 Ma in the early Permian Period; the Torweap Formation, brown sandstone 273 Ma in the early Permian Period; and Coconino sandstone forme 275 Ma in the early Permian period. The underlying Hermit formation is shale formed 280 Ma in the early Permian Period.
The Supai Group is composed of sandstone, siltstone and chert/limestone formed 315 to 285 Ma in the late to middle Pennsylvanian Period. The Surprise Canyon Formation is limestone formed 320 Ma in the late Mississippian Period.
Redwall limestone formed 340 Ma during the early Mississippian Period. Tapeats Sandstone abuts basement rock and was formed 525 Ma in the early Cambrian Period.