Geologic units in Teton county, Idaho

Additional scientific data in this geographic area

Rhyolite (Pleistocene). (Pleistocene) at surface, covers 30 % of this area

Rhyolite tuffs, flows, and domes; includes Yellowstone Group (2.0-0.6 Ma) and isolated domes on Snake River Plain and north of Soda Springs (less than 2.0 Ma). (Quaternary to Eocene Continental Volcanic and Intrusive Rocks).

Alluvial-fan deposits. (Quaternary) at surface, covers 15 % of this area

Gravel and subordinate sand and silt deposited at mouths of canyons; largest fans are in Basin and Range Province in east-central and southeastern Idaho. (Quaternary Sediments).

Glacial deposits. (Pleistocene) at surface, covers 14 % of this area

Till and outwash consisting of gravel, sand, silt, and clay. Formed by valley glaciers at higher elevations and by the Cordilleran ice sheet in northern Idaho. Includes deposits of several glacial episodes. Includes rock glacier deposits and some modern alluvium derived from reworked till and outwash. (Quaternary Sediments).

Sedimentary rocks (Cretaceous). (Cretaceous) at surface, covers 8 % of this area

Marine and deltaic sandstone and shale of Cordilleran foreland basin (includes Gannett Group, Frontier, Mowry, Kootenay, and Thermopolis formations) in eastern Idaho thrust belt. (Paleocene to Neoproterozoic Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of the Cordilleran System).

Alluvial deposits. (Quaternary) at surface, covers 8 % of this area

Deposits in valleys consisting of gravel, sand, and silt. Includes younger terrace deposits. May contain some glacial deposits and colluvium in uplands. (Quaternary Sediments).

Basalt (Pleistocene and Pliocene). (Pleistocene and Pliocene) at surface, covers 7 % of this area

Flows and cinder cones of olivine tholeiite basalt in and near Snake River Plain. Largely Pleistocene (<2.6 Ma) but includes flows as old as 3 Ma. Covered with 1-3 m (3-10 ft) of loess. (Quaternary to Eocene Continental Volcanic and Intrusive Rocks).

Rhyolite (Pliocene and Miocene). (Pliocene and Miocene) at surface, covers 6 % of this area

Rhyolite tuffs and flows of Heise volcanic field (6.6-4.5 Ma; includes Blacktail Creek, Walcott, Conant Creek, and Kilgore tuffs), and rhyolite domes and flows of Magic Reservoir area (6.6-3 Ma). (Quaternary to Eocene Continental Volcanic and Intrusive Rocks).

Sedimentary rocks (Permian and Pennsylvanian). (Permian and Pennsylvanian) at surface, covers 4 % of this area

Marine phosphorite, shale, and chert of Phosphoria Formation, fine-grained sandstone and mudrock of Wells, Quadrant, Amsden, and Shedhorn formations, and fine-grained sandstone, carbonaceous mudstone, and limestone of the Snaky Canyon Formation and Sun Valley and Oquirrh groups. Located in south-central and eastern Idaho. (Paleocene to Neoproterozoic Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of the Cordilleran System).

Sedimentary rocks (Triassic). (Triassic) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Red mudrock and fine-grained sandstone and marine limestone; includes Dinwoody, Woodside, Thaynes, and Ankareh formations in eastern Idaho thrust belt. (Paleocene to Neoproterozoic Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of the Cordilleran System).

Sedimentary rocks (Mississippian). (Mississippian) at surface, covers 3 % of this area

Marine limestone of Mississippian carbonate banks and turbiditic sandstone, mudstone, and conglomerate of Antler flysch trough; includes Madison and Lodgepole formations and Chesterfield Range Group of southeastern Idaho; McGowan Creek Formation, White Knob Limestone, and overlying carbonate bank of Lost River Range; and Copper Basin Group of Pioneer Mountains. Includes poorly dated Salmon River assemblage east of Stanley, consisting of argillite, siltstone, calcareous sandstone, and limestone. (Paleocene to Neoproterozoic Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of the Cordilleran System).

Sedimentary rocks (Jurassic). (Jurassic) at surface, covers 2 % of this area

Marginal marine and marine sandstone and limestone; includes Nugget, Twin Creek, Preuss, Morrison, and Stump formations in eastern Idaho thrust belt. (Paleocene to Neoproterozoic Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of the Cordilleran System).

Huckleberry Ridge Tuff of Yellowstone Group (Pliocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Lavender to gray-brown welded rhyolite tuff.

Alluvium and Colluvium (Pleistocene-Holocene) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Clay, silt, sand, and gravel in flood plains, fans, terraces, and slopes.

Sedimentary rocks (Ordovician and Cambrian). (Ordovician and Cambrian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Marine limestone, dolomite, and subordinate shale and sandstone of Cambrian carbonate bank of southeast Idaho stratigraphically up to St. Charles Formation and Ordovician Garden City Limestone. Includes Bayhorse succession (Cash Creek Quartzite, Garden Creek Phyllite, Bayhorse Dolomite, Ramshorn Slate, and Clayton Mine Quartzite) of Clayton area and Pioneer Mountains; quartzite of Kamiak Butte north of Moscow; and Cambrian Gold Creek quartzite, Rennie Shale, and Lakeview Limestone east of Bayview. (Paleocene to Neoproterozoic Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of the Cordilleran System).

Phosphoria Formation and Related Rocks (Permian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

(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.

Nugget Sandstone, Ankareh Formation, Thaynes Limestone, Woodside Shale, Chugwater, and Dinwoody Formation (Lower Triassic to Jurassic(?) and Triassic(?)) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Nugget Sandstone (Thrust Belt) - Buff to pink crossbedded well-sized and well-sorted quartz sandstone and quartzite; locally has oil and copper-silver-zinc mineralization. Nugget Sandstone (North Wyoming) - Gray to dull-red, crossbedded quartz sandstone. Ankareh Formation - Red and maroon shale and purple limestone. Thaynes Limestone - Gray limestone and limy siltstone. Woodside Shale - Red siltstone and shale. Dinwoody Formation (Thrust Belt) - Gray to olive-drab dolomitic siltstone. Dinwoody Formation (North Wyoming) - Olive-drab hard dolomitic thin-bedded siltstone. 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.

Madison Group, Darby Formation, Three Forks and Jefferson Formations (Upper Devonian-Upper Mississippian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Madison Limestone or Group (Thrust Belt, North Wyoming and Northern Yellowstone area) - Group includes Mission Canyon Limestone (blue-gray massive limestone and dolomite), underlain by Lodgepole Limestone (gray cherty limestone and dolomite). Darby Formation (Thrust Belt and North Wyoming) - Yellow and greenish-gray shale and dolomitic siltstone underlain by fetid brown dolomite and limestone. Three Forks Formation (Northern Yellowstone area) - Pink, yellow, and green dolomitic siltstone and shale. Jefferson Formation (Northern Yellowstone area) - Massive siliceous dolomite.

Phosphoria Formation and Related Rocks, Wells Formation, Amsden Formations, Quadrant Sandstone, and Tensleep Sandstone (Upper Mississippian-Permian) at surface, covers < 0.1 % 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. Phosphoria Formation and Related Rocks (Northern Yellowstone area) - Brown sandstone and dolomite, cherty phosphatic and glauconitic dolomite, phosphatic sandstone and dolomite, and greenish-gray to black shale. Intertonguing equivalent is Shedhorn Sandstone. Phosphoria Formation and Related Rocks (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 (primarlily cherty dolomite, limestone, and phosphatic gray shale) and Shedhorn Sandstone. Wells Formation - Gray limestone interbedded with yellow limy sandstone. Amsden Formation (Thrust Belt) - Red and gray cherty limestone and shale, sandstone, and conglomerate. Amsden Formation (Northern Yellowstone area) - Red and green dolomitic shale, siltstone, and sandstone. Amsden Formation (North Wyoming) - Red and green shale and dolomite; at base is brown sandstone. Quadrant Sandstone - Light-gray sandstone. 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.

Sundance and Gypsum Spring Formations (Middle Jurassic-Upper Jurassic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Sundance Formation (Js) - 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.

Bighorn Dolomite, Gallatin Group, Gros Ventre Formation, Snowy Range Formation, Pilgrim Limestone, Park Shale, Meagher Limestone, Wolsey Shale, Flathead Sandstone, Whitewood Dolomite, and Winnipeg and Deadwood Formations (Middle Cambrian-Upper Ordovician) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Bighorn Dolomite (Thrust Belt and North Wyoming) - Gray massive cliff-forming siliceous dolomite and locally dolomitic limestone. Bighorn Dolomite (Northern Yellowstone area) - Light-gray massive siliceous dolomite. Gallatin Limestone or Group (Thrust Belt) - Gray and tan limestone. Gallatin Limestone or Group (North Wyoming) - Blue-gray and yellow mottled hard dense limestone. Gallatin Group-Snowy Range Formation (Northern Yellowstone area) - Medium-gray limestone and underlying greenish-gray shale. Gallatin Group-Pilgrim Limestone (Northern Yellowstone area) - Blue-gray and yellow mottled hard limestone. Gros Ventre Formation (Thrust Belt) - Greenish-gray micaceous shale. Gros Ventre Formation (North Wyoming) - 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). Park Shale (Northern Yellowstone area) - Green micaceous soft shale. Upper part may be Late Cambrian. Meagher Limestone (Northern Yellowstone area) - Blue-gray and yellow mottled hard limestone. Wolsey Shale (Northern Yellowstone area) - Green micaceous soft shale. Flathead Sandstone (Northern Yellowstone area and North Wyoming) - Dull-red quartzitic sandstone. Whitewood Dolomite (Northeast Wyoming) - Buff massive fossiliferous dolomite. Winnipeg Formation (Northeast Wyoming) - Pink to yellow siltstone and shale. Deadwood Formation (Northeast Wyoming) - Red and brown quartzitic sandstone.

Sundance and Gypsum Spring Formations and Nugget Sandstone (Jurassic(?) and Triassic(?) to Upper Jurassic) at surface, covers < 0.1 % of this area

Sundance Formation (Js) - 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. Nugget Sandstone (JTRn) - Gray to dull-red, crossbedded quartz sandstone.