Sevier Orogeny Namesake Area - Canyon Range, Utah

Sevier Thrust Faults and Folds in the Canyon Range, West-Central Utah

This picture looks north in East Fork of Eightmile Creek in the Canyon Range.

The Canyon Range is the location the Sevier orogeny is named for because the thrust faults are parallel to the Sevier River, and the river sweeps around the north end of the range to empty into the Sevier desert.  It's a natural!  Of all the places where I've visited the Sevier faults and folds, this may be my favorite because of its unique scenery, remoteness, and geologic significance.

The range is made of Proterozoic metasedimentary rocks (quartzite, metasiltstone, and slate) overlain by Cambrian, Ordovician, and Silurian sedimentary rocks.  The rocks here are beautiful!  I went home with hundreds of pounds of quartzite with cross-bedding, coarse clasts, and colorful bands.  

Access on the south end is by primitive 2-track roads that are rocky, rough, narrow, and little used, so I advise a good 4WD (one you can beat up) or an ATV or dirtbike.

The metasedimentary strata are relatively rare for a mountain range in Utah.  They occur locally in the Wasatch Range above Salt Lake City at Mount Olympus's twin peaks and low spots by Provo and north Ogden, and a few other places, but they make up nearly the entire Canyon Range.  That gives it a unique topography and scenery that I love.

This Google Earth view to the north shows the Canyon Range, its big syncline, exposures of the Canyon Range thrust fault, and location of the Sevier River.

The Canyon Range is bisected by a large syncline, seen here looking north up Devil Canyon.  Layers on the left dip to the left, and layers on the right dip to the right.  The fold was created by movement on the Pavant thrust fault below, and it folded the older Canyon Range thrust.  See DeCelles and Coogan (GSA Bulletin; July/August 2006; v. 118; no. 7/8; p. 841–864; doi: 10.1130/B25759.1)

On the west limb of the syncline, looking north, the quartzites dip more steeply.  I think if this were in most other states, it would be designated as some kind of state park!  It's simply stunning scenery.

The Canyon Range thrust is exposed under the west limb of the syncline.  It's located here:  39.274931, -112.248226

The thrust is also exposed on the east limb of the syncline, show here looking north toward Williams Peak (the high point along the ridge).  

Video of the Canyon Range thrust (watch to the end):  Canyon Range thrust fault

The Canyon Range thrust is easily visible from Interstate 15 near the town of Scipio and where the freeway crosses the Sevier River.  I get a geologic thrill every time I drive by it!

Beautiful Oak Creek Canyon, looking east from above Oak City, has good exposures of all the strata and the east and west exposures of the Canyon Range thrust fault.  Strata in teh foreground are Proterozoic on the mountain front, and Cambrian above.  The canyon was unfortunately burned by a big wildfire a few years ago.  The Oak Creek Campground was spared, and is a beautiful place to camp.

View to the south of the Canyon Range thrust from Oak Creek Canyon.  It places Proterozoic strata (left) over Ordovician (right).  This is the west limb of the big syncline.

View to the south of the Canyon Range thrust from Oak Creek Canyon in the northern Canyon Range.  The thrust is in the prominent canyon on the far ridge.  Here, it places the Proterozoic metasedimentary layers (left) over Ordovician strata, which here are vertical to overturned in the foreground.

See the related posts with the label "Sevier-Laramide Project" here, and my YouTube channel "RocDocTravel" for many more videos.

References:

Sevier Orogenic Belt in Nevada and Utah
RICHARD LEE ARMSTRONG
Geological Society of America Bulletin 1968;79;429-458
doi: 10.1130/0016-7606(1968)79[429:SOBINA]2.0.CO;2

DeCelles and Coogan (GSA Bulletin; July/August 2006; v. 118; no. 7/8; p. 841–864; doi: 10.1130/B25759.1)

keywords:  Sevier thrust fault fold syncline Canyon Range Utah geology geologist geologic map structural geology Sevier-Laramide Project