Overview

Great Plains Geology concisely guides readers through the geological development of the Great Plains region. It describes the distinct features of fifty-seven geologic sites, including fascinating places such as Raton Pass in Colorado and New Mexico, the Missouri Breaks of Montana, and the Ashfall Fossil Beds in Nebraska. This guide addresses the tricky question of what constitutes the Great Plains, showing that the region is defined in part through its unique geologic features.

Full Product Details

Author:   R.F. Diffendal, Jr.
Publisher:   University of Nebraska Press
Imprint:   Bison Books
Dimensions:   Width: 12.70cm , Height: 1.40cm , Length: 20.30cm
Weight:   0.372kg
ISBN:  

9780803249516

ISBN 10:   0803249519
Pages:   240
Publication Date:   01 April 2017
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

List of Illustrations     Preface     Acknowledgments     Introduction     1. What Is the Great Plains?      2. Geologic History of the Great Plains     3. Visiting the Great Plains     Sites in Canada     Site 1. Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Alberta     Site 2. Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta     Site 3. Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, Alberta and Saskatchewan     Site 4. T. rex Discovery Centre, Saskatchewan     Site 5. Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan     Sites in the United States Montana Site 6. Giant Springs State Park     Site 7. Upper Missouri Breaks National Monument     Site 8. Pompeys Pillar National Monument     Site 9. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument     Site 10. Judith Mountains     North Dakota Site 11. Theodore Roosevelt National Park     Site 12. Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site     South Dakota Site 13. Slim Buttes     Site 14. Badlands National Park     Site 15. Mount Rushmore National Memorial     Site 16. Wind Cave National Park     Site 17. Jewel Cave National Monument         Site 18. Hot Springs Mammoth Site     Site 19. Petrified Forest, Black Hills     Site 20. Big Bend of the Missouri River     Wyoming Site 21. Devils Tower National Monument     Site 22. Pine Bluffs Archaeological Site     Nebraska Site 23. Toadstool Geological Park     Site 24. Hudson-Meng Bison Kill Research Center     Site 25. Pine Ridge     Site 26. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument     Site 27. Scotts Bluff National Monument     Site 28. Chimney Rock National Historic Site     Site 29. Courthouse and Jail Rocks     Site 30. Ash Hollow State Historical Park     Site 31. Sand Hills Region     Site 32. Snake River Falls     Site 33. Fort Falls and Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge     Site 34. Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park     Site 35. Niobrara State Park     Site 36. Harlan County Lake     Kansas Site 37. Monument Rocks     Site 38. Castle Rock     Colorado Site 39. Castle Rock     Site 40. Section Boundary, Raton/Colorado Piedmont     Site 41. Comanche National Grassland     Site 42. El Huerfano     Site 43. Spanish Peaks     New Mexico Site 44. Raton Pass     Site 45. Sugarite Canyon State Park     Site 46. Capulin Volcano National Monument     Site 47. Clayton Lake State Park     Site 48. Section Boundary, Raton/Pecos Valley     Site 49. Carlsbad Caverns National Park     Site 50. Blackwater Draw Clovis Culture Site     Texas Site 51. Guadalupe Mountains National Park     Site 52. Llano Estacado Escarpment     Site 53. Enchanted Rocks State Park     Site 54. Gault Archaeological Site     Site 55. Balcones Fault Zone     Site 56. Confluence of Pecos River and Rio Grande     Site 57. Seminole Canyon State Park     Afterword     Appendix 1. Geologic Subdivisions of the Great Plains     Appendix 2. Chronology of the Development of Some Geological Concepts     Appendix 3. Cautions for Travelers on the Great Plains     Glossary     Bibliography     Index    

Reviews

“This book should be in the travel bag of anyone interested in exploring this remarkable stage in the heart of North America.”—Michael Forsberg, photographer and author of Great Plains: America’s Lingering Wild   “Great Plains Geology is a book I wish I’d had fifty years ago when we moved to Nebraska and started commuting to Oklahoma to visit relatives. [Diffendal’s] narrative enriches the Great Plains experience immeasurably, especially for those who’ve made their homes here.”—John Janovy Jr., Varner Professor Emeritus at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and author of Keith County Journal   “This is an indispensable travel guide for anyone wishing to explore and appreciate the mysteries of this beautiful landscape.”—Dale A. Winkler, research professor of paleontology at Southern Methodist University “Until now, eco-tourists visiting the Great Plains faced a void of geological information. . . . [Great Plains Geology] is clearly and succinctly written by a leading geologist in a way that nongeologists will understand and appreciate.”—James Stubbendieck, director emeritus of the Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and author of North American Wildland Plants “Professor Diffendal has done a marvelous job of assembling information and images about the rich geological history and terrain of the Great Plains. For those who have ever lived in or spent time in the region, as I have, or been as smitten with geology as I was. . . . I highly recommend it.”—Robert Wuthnow, professor of sociology at Princeton University and author of Remaking the Heartland: Middle America since the 1950s “An enjoyable guide to the best geological sites in the Great Plains of Canada and the United States. Professor Diffendal’s lively writing unites geology with personal and historical references to provide a great resource for those traveling and sightseeing.”—David Watkins, professor of earth and atmospheric sciences at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln   “From the inquisitive tourist or landowner, to the ‘wannabe’ archaeologist or dinosaur hunter, to the professional scientist or historian who seeks information in a related field, this book is a must-read. . . . [It] will quickly dispel the idea that the Great Plains are a monotonous and continuously flat region.”—Gerald Schultz, professor of geology at West Texas A&M University

This book should be in the travel bag of anyone interested in exploring this remarkable stage in the heart of North America. -Michael Forsberg, photographer and author of Great Plains: America's Lingering Wild -- Michael Forsberg Great Plains Geology is a book I wish I'd had fifty years ago when we moved to Nebraska and started commuting to Oklahoma to visit relatives. [Diffendal's] narrative enriches the Great Plains experience immeasurably, especially for those who've made their homes here. -John Janovy Jr., Varner Professor Emeritus at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and author of Keith County Journal -- John Janovy Jr This is an indispensable travel guide for anyone wishing to explore and appreciate the mysteries of this beautiful landscape. -Dale A. Winkler, research professor of paleontology at Southern Methodist University -- Dale A. Winkler Until now, eco-tourists visiting the Great Plains faced a void of geological information... [Great Plains Geology] is clearly and succinctly written by a leading geologist in a way that nongeologists like me will understand and appreciate. -James Stubbendieck, director emeritus of the Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and author of North American Wildland Plants -- James Stubbendieck Professor Diffendal has done a marvelous job of assembling information and images about the rich geological history and terrain of the Great Plains. For those who have ever lived in or spent time in the region, as I have, or been as smitten with geology as I was... I highly recommend it. -Robert Wuthnow, author of Remaking the Heartland: Middle America since the 1950s -- Robert Wuthnow An enjoyable guide to the best geological sites in the Great Plains of Canada and the United States. Professor Diffendal's lively writing unites geology with personal and historical references to provide a great resource for those traveling and sightseeing. -David Watkins, professor of earth and atmospheric sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln -- David Watkins From the inquisitive tourist or landowner, to the 'wannabe' archaeologist or dinosaur hunter, to the professional scientist or historian who seeks information in a related field, this book is a must-read... [It] will quickly dispel the idea that the Great Plains are a monotonous and continuously flat region. -Gerald Schultz, professor of geology at West Texas A&M University -- Gerald Schultz

This book should be in the travel bag of anyone interested in exploring this remarkable stage in the heart of North America. -Michael Forsberg, photographer and author of Great Plains: America's Lingering Wild -- Michael Forsberg Great Plains Geology is a book I wish I'd had fifty years ago when we moved to Nebraska and started commuting to Oklahoma to visit relatives. [Diffendal's] narrative enriches the Great Plains experience immeasurably, especially for those who've made their homes here. -John Janovy Jr., Varner Professor Emeritus at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and author of Keith County Journal -- John Janovy Jr This is an indispensable travel guide for anyone wishing to explore and appreciate the mysteries of this beautiful landscape. -Dale A. Winkler, research professor of paleontology at Southern Methodist University -- Dale A. Winkler Until now, eco-tourists visiting the Great Plains faced a void of geological information... [Great Plains Geology] is clearly and succinctly written by a leading geologist in a way that nongeologists will understand and appreciate. -James Stubbendieck, director emeritus of the Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and author of North American Wildland Plants -- James Stubbendieck Professor Diffendal has done a marvelous job of assembling information and images about the rich geological history and terrain of the Great Plains. For those who have ever lived in or spent time in the region, as I have, or been as smitten with geology as I was... I highly recommend it. -Robert Wuthnow, professor of sociology at Princeton University and author of Remaking the Heartland: Middle America since the 1950s -- Robert Wuthnow An enjoyable guide to the best geological sites in the Great Plains of Canada and the United States. Professor Diffendal's lively writing unites geology with personal and historical references to provide a great resource for those traveling and sightseeing. -David Watkins, professor of earth and atmospheric sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln -- David Watkins From the inquisitive tourist or landowner, to the 'wannabe' archaeologist or dinosaur hunter, to the professional scientist or historian who seeks information in a related field, this book is a must-read... [It] will quickly dispel the idea that the Great Plains are a monotonous and continuously flat region. -Gerald Schultz, professor of geology at West Texas A&M University -- Gerald Schultz

From the inquisitive tourist or landowner, to the wannabe archaeologist or dinosaur hunter, to the professional scientist or historian who seeks information in a related field, this book is a <i>must-read</i>. . . . [It] will quickly dispel the idea that the Great Plains are a monotonous and continuously flat region. Gerald Schultz, professor of geology at West Texas A&M University--Gerald Schultz (09/07/2016)

This book should be in the travel bag of anyone interested in exploring this remarkable stage in the heart of North America. - Michael Forsberg, photographer and author of Great Plains: America's Lingering Wild Great Plains Geology is a book I wish I'd had fifty years ago when we moved to Nebraska and started commuting to Oklahoma to visit relatives. [Diffendal's] narrative enriches the Great Plains experience immeasurably, especially for those who've made their homes here. - John Janovy Jr., Varner Professor Emeritus at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and author of Keith County Journal This is an indispensable travel guide for anyone wishing to explore and appreciate the mysteries of this beautiful landscape. - Dale A. Winkler, research professor of paleontology at Southern Methodist University| Until now, eco-tourists visiting the Great Plains faced a void of geological information... [Great Plains Geology] is clearly and succinctly written by a leading geologist in a way that nongeologists like me will understand and appreciate. - James Stubbendieck, director emeritus of the Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and author of North American Wildland Plants Professor Diffendal has done a marvelous job of assembling information and images about the rich geological history and terrain of the Great Plains. For those who have ever lived in or spent time in the region, as I have, or been as smitten with geology as I was... I highly recommend it. - Robert Wuthnow, author of Remaking the Heartland: Middle America since the 1950s An enjoyable guide to the best geological sites in the Great Plains of Canada and the United States. Professor Diffendal's lively writing unites geology with personal and historical references to provide a great resource for those traveling and sightseeing. - David Watkins, professor of earth and atmospheric sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln From the inquisitive tourist or landowner, to the 'wannabe' archaeologist or dinosaur hunter, to the professional scientist or historian who seeks information in a related field, this book is a must-read... [It] will quickly dispel the idea that the Great Plains are a monotonous and continuously flat region. - Gerald Schultz, professor of geology at West Texas A&M University

Author Information

R. F. Diffendal Jr. is professor emeritus in the School of Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He is the author of Lewis and Clark and the Geology of the Great Plains.

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