sedimentary

Navajo Sandstone

Navajo Sandstone (primarily quartz arenite)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Red-orange, cross-bedded sandstone cliffs; mostly quartz grains with iron-oxide cement. Quartz hardness is 7 Mohs; the rock is granular, generally non-cleavable, and has no single crystal structure.

Identified October 13, 2026More sedimentary →

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Physical properties

Red-orange, cross-bedded sandstone cliffs; mostly quartz grains with iron-oxide cement. Quartz hardness is 7 Mohs; the rock is granular, generally non-cleavable, and has no single crystal structure.

Formation & geological history

Jurassic desert dunes lithified into sandstone roughly 190–180 million years ago; iron oxides give the rock its red color. The landscape appears to be in Zion National Park, Utah.

Uses & applications

Used locally as building and decorative stone; its dramatic cliffs are chiefly valued for scenery, recreation, and geological study.

Geological facts

Navajo Sandstone preserves extensive ancient dune deposits and prominent wind-formed cross-bedding.

Field identification & locations

Identify it by massive red-to-cream cliffs, rounded quartz grains, and sweeping cross-beds; it is widespread across the Colorado Plateau. The pictured exposure is likely part of Zion’s sandstone landscape.