Garden of the Gods Semester Project Autumn Ayers

Many different kinds of rock are found in Garden of the Gods, and they are unique in how they were formed the most common kinds of rocks in the Garden are as follow…

Formation of the Garden Layers of deposited sediment built up on top of existing granite rock. 65 million years ago, the underlying granite was pushed upwards by colliding tectonic plates, bending and faulting the horizontal rock layers above. Sedimentary layers weathered away, leaving edges of tilted rocks. -The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center

The creases seen in this picture of niobrara limestone are evidence of ancient tectonic plate movement. -The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center

Pikes Peak Granite Vertically tilting granite formed from hot molten rock underground which slowly cooled and crystalized. (An example of the effect of atmosphere) Composed of feldspar, quartz, mica, and biotite. Formed 1 billion years ago when Colorado was covered by sea. <http://friendsofgardenofthegods.org>

Fountain Conglomerate It is a gravel stone formed when particles were carried down from the Ancestral Rockies by water (An example of the effect of hydrosphere) and particles of many sizes were cemented together 300 million years ago when the area was in the tropics. The Red ridges, spires, and monuments were formed by layers of conglomerate, pebbly sandstone, and shale which were deposited from the eroding red granite Ancestral Rockies to the high-energy outwash plains. <http://gardenofthegods.com/>

Lyons Sandstone -The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center Were originally deposited as sand dunes 250 million years ago when the continents were in Pangaea and the area was a dry desert climate. Formed huge walls of sedimentary rock when sand piled up from being wind-blown (An example of the effect of atmosphere) and iron cemented the white grains. Was affected by the atmosphere because of the iron oxide that chemically changed the rock. The holes are results of frost wedging (An example of the effect of hydrosphere). Forms Kissing Camels- the hole in Kissing Camels was formed from wind erosion (An example of the effect of atmosphere). Ravens, rock doves, and prairie falcons like to nest on the lyons sandstone. -The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center

Lykins Dolomite Composed of calcium and magnesium carbonate. Formed when layers built up as mud was trapped on mats of bacteria at the bottom of the shallow sea (Hydrosphere). Formed 225 million years ago when the continents were in Pangea. White, wavy, crinkly limestone walls. <http://gardenofthegods.com/>

Dakota Sandstone Tan sandstone tinted with bronze. Formed when beach sands deposited sediment as inland sea began to invade North America (An example of the effect of hydrosphere). Big horn sheep and rattle snakes live on the sequence of highly resistant rocks. (An example of the effect of biosphere) -The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center

Niobrara Limestone Accumulated beneath inland sea that split North America 110 million years ago (An example of the effect of hydrosphere). It is a tan sedimentary rock containing calcium carbonate. A hogback formed from yellowish-orange and brown shale, gray chalk beds, and gray, hard limestone beds. <http://friendsofgardenofthegods.org>

Fossils Fossils of unknown tubular creatures were found in pierre shale which was formed when gray marine shale and sandstone were deposited as mud and sand on the bottom of a shallow ancient mid-continental sea. (An example of the effect of hydrosphere) A single skull of an unknown dinosaur was found in Garden of the Gods. The dinosaur was named theiophytalia kerri, and the only known fossil of this dinosaur is the one in Garden of the Gods. -The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center

Wildlife (Biosphere) The most common birds residing in the garden are red tail hawks, swallow, pigeons, scrub jays, magpie, ravens, rock doves, and prairie falcons. Animals living in the garden are fox, coyote, bobcats, mountain lions, white tail deer, and black bears. The wildlife present in garden of the gods are there because of the abundance of plants and berries avalaible. The birds enjoy the high rising rocks and thick trees which are ideal for their nests. Magpie Rock Dove Black Bear Coyote -The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center

Human Impact The Ute Indians made their home in the garden. Settlers liked to stop there for a few days on their journey westward. Coal miners from cripple creek would sign their names in the rock. Garden of the Gods got its name when two men were passing through the area admiring the formations when one said to the other that the area would make a nice beer garden and the other said that rather it was a garden fit for the gods. -The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center

Weathering and Erosion Earth’s atmosphere has worked to erode the rocks in garden of the gods because of wind blowing sand that was later cemented into rock, creating iron oxide, and wind weathering the rocks away. Earth’s hydrosphere has worked to erode garden of the gods because of rivers and streams flowing through the rocks slowly wearing them away, water going into the cracks of the rocks, freezing, expanding, and loosening rock, and water depositing and cementing sediment- building up the rock formations we see today.

Timeline of Geologic Change Precambrian (600 million years ago)- Rocky Mountain trough is initiated. Mississippian (305-350 million years ago)- Mountain uplift begins in Rocky Mountain Trough. Pennsylvania (275-310 million years ago)- Ancestral Rockies begin to erode. Permian (225-270 million years ago)- Lyons Sandstone and Lykins Formations are deposited. Garden of the Gods is full of beaches and an inland sea. Triassic (180-225 million years ago)- Ancestral Rockies are completely eroded and buried under their own debris. Jurassic (150 million years ago)- Morrison Formation deposited in tropical lowlands. Cretaceous (70-135 million years ago)- Extinction of dinosaurs. A second major mountain building pulse begins in the Rockies, beginning the Laramide Revolution. Purgatoire, Dakota, Benton, and Niobrara Formations are deposited. Paleocene (60-70 million years ago)- Front Range is uplifted and intermontane parks form due to the Pacific plate slamming into the North American plate- sedimentary formations are tilted up. Eocene (38-55 million years ago)- Rockies are above sea level. Oligocene (25-38 million years ago)- Volcanism in the region near today's Florissant Colorado. Miocene (12-23 million year ago)- A third mountain-building pulse.  Major erosion in Rockies. Pliocene (2-12 million years ago)- Mountain streams rejuvenated and begin canyon cutting. Pleistocene (.1-2 million years ago)- 3 major periods of glaciation occur, mesa gravels deposited. Holocene (present-.1 million years ago)- Shaping of present Garden of the Gods red rock landscape due to erosion. Soft rocks are eroded away, but harder rocks remain forming tall ridges and valleys. . -<http://www.springsgov.com>

Bibliography "Garden of the Gods Facts and History." City of Colorado Springs. 2009. Web. 11 Sept. 2011. <http://www.springsgov.com>. "Geology and Ecology." The Friends of Garden of the Gods City Park in Colorado Springs, Colorado. 2008. Web. 12 Nov. 2011. <http://friendsofgardenofthegods.org>. Mediawerx Corporation. "Geology." Garden of the Gods - Colorado Springs, Colorado. 2007. Web. 12 Nov. 2011. <http://gardenofthegods.com/>. The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center. Garden of the Gods National Landmark Colorado, Colorado Springs.