How was the Central Wasatch formed?
Throughout most of geologic time, the Central Wasatch was an inland sea, accumulating great thicknesses of quartzite, shale and limestone. About 100 million years ago large bodies of granitic magma invaded these rocks, bringing with them lead and silver. The Wasatch Mountains began to rise above the desert plain about 30 million years ago as the result of movement along the Wasatch Fault, a major high-angle fault that is still active. More recently, about 16 thousand years ago, glaciers formed in the canyons, carving the topography that we enjoy today. Source: USGS Professional Paper 201
Explore geologic formations within Utah on the Utah Geological Survey’s interactive map.