Geologic Feature

A rock formation in which the top part protrudes forward horizontally to hang over the vertical parts of the rock face.

This term most likely refers to a sandstone natural rock structure near Crownpoint, New Mexico that is most often called "Heart Rock" on maps. For a span of approximately 15 years during the 1940s and 1950s, there was also a trading post near this formation, which was called the Heart Rock Trading Post.

A large geologic formation located in north-central New Mexico between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Santa Fe and the Sandia Mountains east of Albuquerque. This area ranges from 900 to 4,000 feet in height and is characterized by a varied and layered mix of sedimentary strata including sandstone, sand, clay, limestone, and volcanic deposits. The formation contains many preserved fossils, dating as far back as 23 million years ago to the Paleogene period.

A rock formation that commonly ascends from cave floors. Stalagmites form when sandstone has been stripped away, exposing limestone. The mixture of water and calcium carbonate (found in limestone) forms stalactites, which when they drip to the cave floor create stalagmites. When the two "cave decorations," called speleothems, meet in the middle, they form a column or pillar.

A rock formation commonly found suspended from the ceilings of caves. The mixture of water and calcium carbonate (found in limestone) forms stalactites, which when they drip to the cave floor create stalagmites. When the two "cave decorations," called speleothems, meet in the middle, they form a column or pillar.

Talus is the sloping pile of loose rock fragments that accumulate along the edge of a steep cliff or other landform.

A hard layer of rock that overlies a softer more easily eroded layer of rock. Caprocks often occur on the top of hills and mesas and sometimes also on the beds of streams and rivers. Caprocks can control rates of erosion and when eroded to the point of being unstable, the edge of a formation can break off, which is known as scrape retreat. Sandstone and ultramafic igneous rocks often make up caprocks.

A fine-grained sedimentary rock formed out of mud, clay, silt, and other small minerals. In large quantities, for example on a mountain side, shale has the appearance of thin stacked layers of rock. Shale is often used in ceramics, tiles, bricks, and pottery.

"Tsé k'izí" means "rock cleft" in Navajo. Tsai Skizzi Rock is a 400 foot high butte on the Kaibito Plateau in Arizona.

The steep, vertical edge of a mountain, hill, or mesa. Cliffs expose the rock types and different earth sediments of the mountain, and can be created either by erosional forces or by structural forces. Erosional cliffs are created when the rock is weathered down starting at their base. Erosional cliffs are prevalent in areas with mountainous sandstone or sedimentary rocks that are prone to weathering. Structural cliffs are created with fault displacement or when a significant landslide occurs. In most cases, there is a sudden large drop past the edge of the cliff, creating a dramatic change in elevation between the top of the geological formation and the bottom of the cliff.