A Recipe for Badlands
Why are these hills so barren? Extreme heat is only part of the answer. The story of these "badlands" begins and ends with water. These lakebed deposits contain impermeable clay, so any rainfall quickly moves downhill. In addition, the combination of steep slopes and sporadic but intense storms increases rapid surface runoff. Nature's way of efficiently removing so much water is the formation of the numerous gullies and ravines that characterize the badlands. Unable to survive in this unhospitable environment, plants are limited to the gravel washes and banks. For the plants, these hills are indeed bad land.
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| GLOSSARY | > badlands, clay, environment, gullying, ravine, wash, , , |
GOLDEN CANYON GEOLOGY TRAIL
Badlands of Golden Canyon