It’s a desert environment and while it has the same general geological structures, there’s something amiss. Even geologists don’t agree about exactly what happened at Upheaval Dome. Discover the biggest impact crater in Utah (or is it something else?) and learn more about the lands that surround it!
Upheaval Dome: The Biggest Impact Crater in Utah
Canyonlands National Park in Utah is characterized by layers of grainy accumulations that have for millions of years remained relatively unaltered. They were first created by the ancient artists of Winds, Rivers, and Seas, creating the striking desert landscape revered today. Despite the stability of this vast landscape, there is one anomaly: Upheaval Dome.
In this location, the sedimentary deposits have been greatly altered, creating a massive dome that spans three miles. The rocks have been moved upward, creating a circular shape called an anticline (or dome). There are additional rock layers shaped in a way unlike the rest of the area, forming what’s called a syncline (or fold). This anomaly has caused a hot debate among geologists but their conclusions rest upon two theories.
Take a hike! To the Upheaval Dome to see this geological anomaly for yourself.
Upheaval Dome: The Salt Dome Theory
The first theory is the Salt Dome Theory. This theory asserts that the artist known as the Seas left thick layers of salt in its natural creation millions of years ago. Considering that sandstone is much denser than salt, the salt ended up in a glacier-like state, moving ever-so-slowly beneath and upward toward the rocky surface. With millions of years of nearly imperceptible movements, the salt eventually bubbled up and eroded the rock layers, resulting in the salt formation perceived today.
Upheaval Dome: The Impact Crater Theory
The second theory is the Impact Crater Theory. This theory addresses what occurs above the desert landscape instead of what occurs beneath it. Geologists on this side of the camp assert that approximately 60 million years ago, a meteorite about 1/3 of a mile in diameter struck the area known today as Upheaval Dome. This wasn’t a slow event, but rather a sudden explosion that altered the landscape with a single impact. The crater created was unstable and eventually collapsed over, which would explain its many folds.
