Where to Start Exploring Geology
Photo above: Fossil Falls, California in the Owens Valley, Eastern Sierra Nevada.
Geology Starts with Stories
Introducing yourself to geology can feel like trying to understand a foreign language. We found this during our first geology conference when we discovered that nearly all the session titles were nearly incomprehensible to us:
"Dismembering the Putnam Thrust: Miocene Extension Within the Foreland-Hinterland Transition of the Idaho Wyoming Salient and a Revised Kinematic Model for the Putnam Thrust System"
Not to be discouraged, we continued to explore. The secret is to search for stories, which geology excels in telling, if you can
find the right story teller. We've found a few good ones.
Below are the best examples we've discovered so far that can light the fuse of inspiration for you to continue learning about the wonderful story of geology. After all, it's the story of our home, the earth, and understanding life itself.
Also be sure to read our Geo Primer page as well to get a brief introduction into the most fundamental part of geology - rocks and minerals. AND download and use the Timeline Bookmark as a handy reference while you learn about deep time.
Geological Timeline Bookmark. Click on the image above to download and print a double sided book mark from USGS to keep track of all those eras and periods while you read.
BOOKS
California's Amazing Geology. By Donald R. Prothero.
A wonderfully readable book that provides amazing details for every geological province in California. No matter where you live in the state, you can find clear explanations for why the geography is shaped the way it is, why certain rocks are found where they are, and the stories behind all of it. The book also does an excellent job explaining the complex tectonic movements that created the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges of southern California and the San Andreas Fault. AND most importantly, Dr. Prothero provides answers to many of the geological terms and concepts that can be especially confusing to both new and experienced geological students. For example, we have found that most explanations of what the term "arc" actually means in island or volcanic arcs (the chain of volcanoes that form when tectonic plates converge) are either incorrect or misleading. Dr. Prothero explains that an arc is not describing a semi-circular belt of volcanoes as seen from above, but rather the arcuate (curved) shape of the belt as seen from the sideview because the globe is spherical.
Hard Road West. By Keith Heyer Meldahl
This is a true story-telling adventure, combining history with geology in a way that is difficult to stop reading. Blending the remarkable courage of the pioneers as they traveled West to find a new life, with the stunning (and challenging) rocks, spires, and mountains along the way, Meldahl make the Oregon Trail come alive. The book is an excellent way for anyone who loves history to let geology seep into your soul as naturally as reading a novel on a summer day. The book will inspire you to travel the Oregon trail on your own, or at least the portions that are still available, to not only live history, but to become a geologist yourself. All the locations discussed are clearly described so you can experience them first hand.
Book: Rough-Hewn Land: A Geologic Journey from California to the Rocky Mountains. By Keith Heyer Meldahl
After reading a number of books concerning the geology of the West, this one is by far the best. Meldahl takes you on a beautifully described field trip from the pillow lava on the coast of California to the far-flung impact of the tectonic plates that once collided along the coast of southern California, pushing up the Rocky Mountains in the process. And one of the best parts of this book is that Meldahl provides directions to all the marvelous places he discusses so you can check them out for yourself.
Ancient Landscapes of Western North America. A Geologic History with Paleogeogrpahic Maps. By Ronald C. Blakey and Wayne D. Ranney.
Keeping the movement of the continents straight as they wandered the globe over the past billion years is a challenging task, but is essential to get a solid understanding of not only rocks, but how life evolved. With wonderful graphics, the authors describe how western North America took its shape through the remarkable process of tectonic plate movement.
Essentials of Geology. 7th Edition. By Stephen Marshak.
There are numerous geology textbooks out there. This is the one that we have found to be the most readable and creative. Each chapter starts out with an insightful quote that sets the historical/philosophical stage. There are lots of excellent photographs and diagrams that reflect Marshak's long career in exploring and teaching geology. And importantly, it is up to date. Geology has changed significantly over the past couple decades, especially when it comes to plate tectonics. This book does a good job providing the most current insights. There is also an extensive online extension portion that provides remarkable 3D examples of rock specimens, animations, and guided lessons.
The Peninsular Ranges: A Geological Guide to San Diego's Back Country. New 2022 edition. By Dr. Michael J. Walawender.
This is the best, and only stand-alone guide to the fabulous granitic and metamorphic uplands of eastern San Diego County. With GPS coordinates to help you pin point the locations of the geological sites discussed, this guide allows any natural history enthusiast to explore and appreciate the geologic wonders of San Diego's mountain country. This book was originally and published in 2000. Following Walawender's death, the San Diego Association of Geologists recognized the need to revise and republish the guide. The graphics were redrafted in color, and photographs were re-shot in the field to improve image quality, replicating the original view to the extent possible. For the field excursions, information regarding access was updated to reflect current conditions. Finally, footnotes were added where needed to provide updated information and detail based on recent scientific research. If you want to learn San Diego geology, this is an essential book to own.
The Rise and Fall of San Diego. By Patrick L. Abbott.
This is the definitive work on the sedimentary rock history of San Diego County. There are a number of excellent field trips also described within the text. Dr. Abbott is professor emeritus of geology at San Diego State University. Innovative research, over 60 articles, and more than 20 published books have given him a deserved reputation as a recognized authority on the geology of San Diego County.
Free Online Texts: Petrology and Mineralogy. By Dexter Perkins and a bunch of other contributors.
A lot of folks put a lot of time into these two, online texts that provide the fundamentals of how rocks form (petrology) and how minerals form (mineralogy). The writing is clear and photography both beautiful and incredibly helpful. Their book is somewhat different than the usual petrology text. For example, besides focusing on rocks - how they form, where they form, and what they look like - they have included more volcanology. They have included less thermodynamics, geochemistry, and petrophysics than in some other books, making it more accessible to non-professionals.
VIDEOS
This is a wonderful video about how the largest known flood(s) in geological history scoured the surface of eastern Washington state, creating what is now known as the Scablands. It features Dr. Joe Hanson who does an excellent job bringing the story to life. This 14 minute video will inspire you to visit the place and to expand your geological knowledge. Photos of our field trip to the place can be found here.
The creation of California through the amazing process of plate tectonics is one of the most compelling geological stories. This animation, created by Dr. Tanya Atwater from UC Santa Barbara, describes how the Farallon Plate eventually disapeared under the North American Plate, moving a large chunk of prehistoric California several hundred miles north (so far), creating the San Andreas Fault and twisting off and turning a piece that has become the Transverse Range that includes the mountains behind Santa Barbara, the Santa Monica Mountains, and the San Bernardino Mountains.
.....More to Come.....