Tilted rocks of Salt River Canyon

Salt River at the junction with Tonto Creek. This wild river begins in Arizona’s second highest mountain range, the White Mountains in eastern Arizona. As it descends toward the desert, the river slices through myriad rock formations including the seldom seen Hess Canyon Group, a rare package of Proterozoic sedimentary rocks including (from oldest to youngest) the White Ledges Formation, the Yankee Joe Formation, and the Blackjack Formation. The White Ledges Formation forms a significant rapid on the Salt River called Quartzite Falls. (Photo 29 April 2010 and caption by Wayne Ranney)