California Rocks! A Guide To Geologic Sites in the Golden State

Californians live on the edge—of a tectonic plate, that is. In this geologically tenuous location, where a tsunami, earthquake, or volcanic eruption is just another hazard, the rocks and landforms are dynamic too. From erupting geysers and boiling mud pots to collapsing sea arches and crawling landslides, California is a land in motion. In fact, rocks on the west side of the San Andreas Fault have moved northward nearly 200 miles in the last 20 million years.

With lively prose and beautiful photographs, California Rocks! explores sixty-five geologic sites at parks and other publicly accessible places. Learn why so many saber-toothed cats were preserved in La Brea Tar Pits, how hollow tubes formed in the flowing lava of Lava Beds National Monument, and what forms the big waves at Mavericks surf break.

Katherine J. Baylor holds degrees in geology and geography from the University of California at Santa Barbara. She currently lives in the San Francisco Bay area and is a hydrogeologist for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Katherine has traveled to over forty countries but always returns to California where she enjoys hiking, camping, and backpacking with her friends and family.