Death Valley Rocks!: A Guide to Forty Amazing Geologic Sites

Whether you're a rockhound, a seasoned geologist, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of the natural world, Death Valley Rocks! is your key to unlocking the mysteries of Death Valley National Park, one of the most enigmatic places on the planet.

Part of the acclaimed Geology Rocks! series, this guidebook presents forty sites that testify to the awe-inspiring power of Earth's geological processes and lengthy history. Recent volcanic eruptions, shifting tectonic plates, and the sculpting power of water and wind combined to form Death Valley in the last few million years, but tucked away in nearby mountain ranges are some of the oldest rocks in the West.

The featured sites, each carefully selected for their geologic impact, are accessible by vehicle except for parts of Monarch Canyon as well as Telescope Peak, which can be seen from just about everywhere because it towers more than 2 miles above the shimmering salt flats on the valley floor, the lowest point in North America. From the folded marble in Mosaic Canyon to the colorful rocks at Artists Palette, each site is presented with stunning photography, insightful commentary, and directions for visitors, making this book an indispensable resource for both armchair geologists and adventurous explorers alike.

Marli B. Miller, a senior instructor and researcher at the University of Oregon, is also a renowned photographer. She completed her BA in geology at Colorado College in 1982 and her MS and PhD in structural geology at the University of Washington in 1987 and 1992, respectively. Marli teaches a variety of courses, including introductory geology, structural geology, field geology, and geophotography. In addition to numerous technical papers, she is the author of Oregon Rocks!, Roadside Geology of Oregon, Roadside Geology of Washington (with coauthor Darrel Cowan), all published by GSA, and Geology of Death Valley National Park (with coauthor Lauren A. Wright).