The Chinle formation is exposed in the Painted Desert of northern Arizona. The Chinle's colorful mudstones, and less abundant lenses of sandstone and conglomerate, were deposited by a large river system. This unit typically is eroded into badlands topography and contains clays that are prone to shrinking and swelling. Chinle dates to the Late Triassic (230-210 Ma).
Photographer: Ted Grussing
Photo Date: November 2016