Thrust faults in the Muddy Mts, NV
In the Muddy Mountains, just outside Las Vegas NV, there is a great example of a thrust fault (Fig. 2), the Muddy Mountain Thrust Fault. Rocks of Paleozoic (older than 252 million years ago to 541 million years ago) age, have been lifted up and over the Mesozoic (251 million years to about 66 million years ago) rocks that were originally above them (Fig, 1). I’ve marked the approximate position of the fault in the next photo (Fig. 3). Some thrust faults have moved horizontally dozens of miles!
Where else to see thrust faults
- The Sevier Thrust Belt (Nevada, Utah)
- The Rockies in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana
- The Alps
References
- Roadside Geology of Wyoming, D. Lageson and R. Spearing
- Roadside Geology of Nevada, F. DeCourten and N. Biggar
- The Visitors Center, Valley of Fire State Park, NV