MESAVERDE FORMATION (north Wyoming)--Light-colored massive to thin-bedded sandstone, gray sandy shale, and coal beds. In Jackson Hole locally contains gold-bearing quartzite conglomerate. North of North Fork Powder River east of the Bighorn Mountains, consists solely of the Parkman Sandstone Member; MESAVERDE GROUP (SOUTH WYOMING). Includes Almond Formation, Ericson Sandstone, Rock Springs and Blair Formations in Rock Springs uplift; Almond Formation (white and brown soft sandstone, gray sandy shale, coal and carbonaceous shale), Pine Ridge Sandstone (light-gray sandstone and thin coal beds), and Allen Ridge (gray sandstone, shale, and thin coal beds) and Haystack Mountains (gray marine sandstone and shale) Formations in Rawlins uplift; Pine Ridge Sandstone (light-gray sandstone and thin coal beds) and Rock River Formation (soft sandstone and sandy shale) in Laramie Basin.
Wagon Bed Formation(Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Eocene (45-49 Ma))at surface, covers 0.3 % of this area
WAGON BED FORMATION (AGE ABOUT 45 TO 49 Ma)--Southwest and central Wyoming--Green and gray tuffaceous claystone, sandstone, and conglomerate; some uranium-phosphate marlstone and variegated bentonitic claystone. Locally contains oil shale between Wind River and Bighorn Basins; Central Wyoming (west side of Laramie Mountains)--Dull-green siliceous bentonitic claystone and tuff; giant granite boulder conglomerate in tuffaceous matrix.
Fort Union Formation(Phanerozoic | Cenozoic | Tertiary | Paleocene )at surface, covers 13 % of this area
FORT UNION FORMATION northwest, southwest, and central Wyoming--Brown to gray sandstone, gray to black shale, and thin coal beds; east Wyoming--Light-colored massive sandstone, drab shale, and thick coal beds.
Meeteetse Formation(Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Late)at surface, covers 0.7 % of this area
MEETEETSE FORMATION (AGE ABOUT 73 Ma)--Chalky-white to gray sandstone, yellow, green, and dark-gray bentonitic claystone, white tuff, and thin coal beds.
GRAVEL, PEDIMENT, AND FAN DEPOSITS--Mostly locally derived clasts. Includes some glacial deposits along east flank of Wind River Range. Locally includes some Tertiary gravels.
Phosphoria Formation(Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Permian)at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area
PHOSPHORIA FORMATION AND RELATED ROCKS--Thrust Belt: Upper part is dark- to light-gray chert and shale with black shale and phosphorite at top; lower part is black shale, phosphorite, and cherty dolomite; north Wyoming: Brown sandstone and dolomite, cherty phosphatic and glauconitic dolomite, phosphatic sandstone and dolomite, and greenish-gray to black shale. Intertonguing equivalents of parts of Phosphoria are Park City Formation (primarily cherty dolomite, limestone, and phosphatic gray shale) and Shedhorn Sandstone.
Chugwater and Goose Egg Formations(Phanerozoic | Paleozoic Mesozoic | Permian Triassic-Early(?) Triassic-Middle(?) Triassic-Late)at surface, covers 7 % of this area
CHUGWATER AND GOOSE EGG FORMATIONS (north Wyoming). CHUGWATER FORMATION--Red siltstone and shale. Alcova Limestone Member in upper middle part in north Wyoming. Thin gypsum partings near base in north and northeast Wyoming. GOOSE EGG FORMATION--Red sandstone and siltstone, white gypsum, halite, and purple to white dolomite and limestone; CHUGWATER FORMATION OR GROUP (south Wyoming)--Red shale and siltstone containing thin gypsum partings near base. Group includes Popo Agie Formation (red shale and red, yellow, and purple siltstone; lenses of lime-pellet conglomerate), Crow Mountain Sandstone (red and gray, thick bedded), Alcova Limestone, and Red Peak Formation (red siltstone and shale). Chugwater Formation includes as members all the units listed above. Includes overlying Jelm Formation in Shirley and Seminoe Mountains and at northern end of Laramie Basin. JELM FORMATION--Red sandstone. GOOSE EGG FORMATION--Red sandstone and siltstone, white gypsum, halite, and purple to white dolomite and limestone.
METAMORPHOSED MAFIC AND ULTRAMAFIC ROCKS. Teton Range--Rendezvous Metagabbro; 2,875 Ma or older. Gros Ventre Range--Hornblende gneiss and serpentinite. Wind River Range--Pillowed amphibolite, metagabbro, and ultramafic sills. Wind River Canyon (cutting through Owl Creek Mountains)--Amphibolite and felsic gneiss of volcanic origin. Older than 2,700 Ma. Bighorn and Granite Mountains--Amphibolite. Seminoe Mountains--Amphibolite of volcanic origin, komatiite, and metagabbro. Casper Mountain--Amphibolite and serpentinite. Laramie Mountains--Amphibolite of volcanic origin, komatiite(?), metagabbro, and ultramafic sills.
Madison Limestone and Bighorn Dolomite(Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Ordovician-Middle Ordovician-Late(?) Silurian(?) Devonian(?) Carboniferous Mississippian-Early(?) Mississippian-Middle(?) Mississippian-Late)at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area
MADISON LIMESTONE AND BIGHORN DOLOMITE. MADISON LIMESTONE OR GROUP--Group includes Mission Canyon Limestone (blue-gray massive limestone and dolomite), underlain by Lodgepole Limestone (gray cherty limestone and dolomite). BIGHORN DOLOMITE--Light-gray massive siliceous dolomite.
Cody Shale(Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Late (78-83 Ma))at surface, covers 10 % of this area
CODY SHALE (AGE 78 TO 83 Ma) northern Yellowstone area--Gray to brown shale and siltstone; north and south Wyoming--Dull-gray shale, gray siltstone, and fine-grained gray sandstone.
OLDEST GNEISS COMPLEX--Chiefly layered granitic gneiss, locally migmatitic. Local masses of quartzite, metagraywacke, iron-formation, and other metasedimentary rocks and amphibolite and felsic gneiss thought to be volcanic; metasedimentary rocks in Beartooth Mountains contain detrital zircon dated at more than 3,400 Ma. Inclusions show evidence of granulite-facies metamorphism prior to 2,800 Ma. Mueller and others (1982) suggest that large areas in Beartooth Mountains were invaded by Late Archean granite (age about 2,800 Ma). Bighorn Mountains--Dates of metamorphism 3,000+ Ma.
Tensleep Sandstone and Amsden Formation(Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Mississippian-Late Pennsylvanian(?) Permian)at surface, covers 8 % of this area
TENSLEEP SANDSTONE AND AMSDEN FORMATION. North Wyoming: TENSLEEP SANDSTONE--White to gray sandstone containing thin limestone and dolomite beds. Permian fossils have been found in the topmost beds of the Tensleep at some localities in Washakie Range, Owl Creek Mountains, and southern Bighorn Mountains. AMSDEN FORMATION--Red and green shale and dolomite; at base is brown sandstone. South Wyoming: TENSLEEP SANDSTONE AND AMSDEN FORMATION. TENSLEEP SANDSTONE--White to gray sandstone containing thin limestone and dolomite beds. AMSDEN FORMATION--Red and green shale and dolomite; at base is persistent red to brown sandstone.
CHUGWATER FORMATION (north, northeast Wyoming)--Red siltstone and shale. Alcova Limestone Member in upper middle part in north Wyoming. Thin gypsum partings near base in north and northeast Wyoming. [None mapped in the NE]; CHUGWATER FORMATION OR GROUP (south Wyomingt)--Red shale and siltstone containing thin gypsum partings near base. Group includes Popo Agie Formation (red shale and red, yellow, and purple siltstone; lenses of lime-pellet conglomerate), Crow Mountain Sandstone (red and gray, thick bedded), Alcova Limestone, and Red Peak Formation (red siltstone and shale). Chugwater Formation includes as members all the units listed above. Includes overlying Jelm Formation in Shirley and Seminoe Mountains and at northern end of Laramie Basin. JELM FORMATION--Red sandstone.
LANCE FORMATION (Kl north), FOX HILLS SANDSTONE (Kfh), MEETEETSE FORMATION (Km), AND BEARPAW AND LEWIS (Kle) SHALES--In the Bighorn Basin consists of Lance, Meeteetse and, in the southeastern part, tongue of Lewis Shale; in the northern part of the Wind River Basin, of Lance, Meeteetse, and Lewis, and, in the southeastern part of the basin, of Lance and Lewis; on the west side of the Powder River Basin north of T. 45 N., of Lance, Fox Hills, and Bearpaw, and, to the south, of Lance, Fox Hills, and Lewis. LANCE FORMATION--Thick-bedded buff sandstone and drab to green shale; thin conglomerate lenses. FOX HILLS SANDSTONE--Light-colored sandstone and gray sandy shale containing marine fossils. MEETEETSE FORMATION (AGE ABOUT 73 Ma)--Chalky-white to gray sandstone, yellow, green, and dark-gray bentonitic claystone, white tuff, and thin coal beds. BEARPAW SHALE--Dark-greenish-gray shale containing thin gray sandstone partings. LEWIS SHALE (AGE ABOUT 68 Ma)--Gray marine shale containing many gray and brown lenticular concretion-rich sandstone beds.
CLOVERLY FORMATION and MORRISON FORMATION. CLOVERLY FORMATION--Rusty sandstone at top, underlain by brightly variegated bentonitic claystone; chert-pebble conglomerate locally at base. MORRISON FORMATION--Dully variegated claystone, nodular limestone, and gray silty sandstone. In southern Yellowstone and Jackson Hole areas the presence of Morrison is questionable; CLOVERLY FORMATION (Hartville uplift) or INYAN KARA GROUP (Black Hills) and MORRISON FORMATION. CLOVERLY FORMATION--Rusty to light-gray sandstone containing lenticular chert-pebble conglomerate interbedded with variegated bentonitic claystone. INYAN KARA GROUP--Rusty to light-gray sandstone containing lenticular chert-pebble conglomerate interbedded with variegated bentonitic claystone. Includes Fall River and Lakota Formations. MORRISON FORMATION, in northeast Wyoming, dully variegated siliceous claystone, nodular white limestone, and gray silty sandstone.
MOWRY (Kmr) AND THERMOPOLIS SHALES. MOWRY SHALE (AGE 94 TO 98 Ma)--Silvery-gray hard siliceous shale containing abundant fish scales and bentonite beds. THERMOPOLIS SHALE--Black soft fissile shale; Muddy Sandstone Member at top.
MADISON GROUP AND DARBY FORMATION (Thrust Belt, north Wyoming). MADISON GROUP--Group includes Mission Canyon Limestone (blue-gray massive limestone and dolomite), underlain by Lodgepole Limestone (gray cherty limestone and dolomite). DARBY FORMATION--Yellow and greenish-gray shale and dolomitic siltstone underlain by fetid brown dolomite and limestone. MADISON GROUP AND THREE FORKS AND JEFFERSON FORMATIONS (Yellowstone). MADISON GROUP--Group includes Mission Canyon Limestone (blue-gray massive limestone and dolomite), underlain by Lodgepole Limestone (gray cherty limestone and dolomite). THREE FORKS FORMATION--Pink, yellow, and green dolomitic siltstone and shale. JEFFERSON FORMATION--Massive siliceous dolomite.
GYPSUM SPRING FORMATION, NUGGET SANDSTONE, AND CHUGWATER FORMATION. GYPSUM SPRING FORMATION--Interbedded red shale, dolomite, and gypsum. In north Wyoming wedges out south in T. 39 N. NUGGET SANDSTONE--gray to dull-red, crossbedded quartz sandstone. CHUGWATER FORMATION--Red siltstone and shale. Alcova Limestone Member in upper middle part in north Wyoming. Thin gypsum partings near base in north and northeast Wyoming.
GALLATIN LIMESTONE, GROS VENTRE FORMATION and equivalents, and FLATHEAD SANDSTONE (north Wyoming). GALLATIN LIMESTONE--Blue-gray and yellow mottled hard dense limestone. GROS VENTRE FORMATION--Soft green micaceous shale (Upper and Middle Cambrian Park Shale Member), underlain by blue-gray and yellow mottled hard dense limestone (Middle Cambrian Death Canyon Limestone Member), and soft green micaceous shale (Middle Cambrian Wolsey Shale Member). FLATHEAD SANDSTONE--Dull-red quartzitic sandstone. CAMBRIAN ROCKS (south Wyoming). South flank of Granite Mountains--Blue-gray and yellow mottled hard dense limestone interbedded with soft green micaceous shale; dull-red quartzitic sandstone at base. On and south of Rawlins uplift--Glauconitic quartzitic sandstone.
Frontier Formation(Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Late)at surface, covers 3 % of this area
FRONTIER FORMATION in thrust belt--White to brown sandstone and dark-gray shale; oyster coquina in upper part; coal and lignite in lower part; in north and south Wyoming--Gray sandstone and sandy shale.
Madison Limestone or Group (S)(Phanerozoic | Paleozoic | Carboniferous Mississippian-Early Mississippian-Middle(?) Mississippian-Late)at surface, covers 1 % of this area
MADISON LIMESTONE OR GROUP--Group includes Mission Canyon Limestone (blue-gray massive limestone and dolomite), underlain by Lodgepole Limestone (gray cherty limestone and dolomite).
Chugwater and Dinwoody Formations(Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Triassic-Early Triassic-Middle(?) Triassic-Late)at surface, covers 0.2 % of this area
CHUGWATER AND DINWOODY FORMATIONS. CHUGWATER FORMATION--Red siltstone and shale. Alcova Limestone Member in upper middle part. Thin gypsum partings near base. DINWOODY FORMATION--Olive-drab hard dolomitic thin-bedded siltstone.
CLOVERLY, MORRISON, AND SUNDANCE (Js) FORMATIONS. CLOVERLY FORMATION--Rusty sandstone at top, underlain by brightly variegated bentonitic claystone; chert-pebble conglomerate locally at base. MORRISON FORMATION--Dully variegated claystone, nodular limestone, and gray silty sandstone. In southern Yellowstone and Jackson Hole areas the presence of Morrison is questionable. SUNDANCE FORMATION--Greenish-gray glauconitic sandstone and shale, underlain by red and gray nonglauconitic sandstone and shale.
SUNDANCE (Js) AND GYPSUM SPRING FORMATIONS. SUNDANCE FORMATION--Greenish-gray glauconitic sandstone and shale, underlain by red and gray nonglauconitic sandstone and shale. GYPSUM SPRING FORMATION--Interbedded red shale, dolomite, and gypsum. In north Wyoming wedges out south in T. 39 N.
Lance Formation(Phanerozoic | Mesozoic | Cretaceous-Late)at surface, covers 2 % of this area
LANCE FORMATION north Wyoming--Thick-bedded buff sandstone and drab to green shale; thin conglomerate lenses; south and northeast Wyoming--Brown and gray sandstone and shale; thin coal and carbonaceous shale beds.
CLOVERLY, MORRISON, AND SUNDANCE (Js), AND GYPSUM SPRING FORMATIONS. CLOVERLY FORMATION--Rusty sandstone at top, underlain by brightly variegated bentonitic claystone; chert-pebble conglomerate locally at base. MORRISON FORMATION--Dully variegated claystone, nodular limestone, and gray silty sandstone. In southern Yellowstone and Jackson Hole areas the presence of Morrison is questionable. SUNDANCE FORMATION--Greenish-gray glauconitic sandstone and shale, underlain by red and gray nonglauconitic sandstone and shale. GYPSUM SPRING FORMATION--Interbedded red shale, dolomite, and gypsum. In north Wyoming wedges out south in T. 39 N.