The National Parks of the United States preserve our nation’s iconic landscapes and some of the finest examples of geologic heritage. From glaciers to caves, volcanoes to canyons, or mountains to coral reefs, the nation’s geologic features and landforms have been an important part of the American experience throughout its history. The geologic features found in our national parks are a testimony to the Earth’s complexity and dynamic nature; a planet that has been in a continuous state of change since its origin 4.6 billion years ago. The landscapes and awe inspiring geological features we observe in the national parks are merely snapshots in time as Earth continues its course of change as the result of interactions among the planet’s many internal and external processes. The landforms and geologic structures within our national parks have a story to tell about an area’s geologic history and tectonic setting. Geology of National Parks teaches how to recognize landforms and rock formations within a national park; thus, students will begin to read and interpret the geologic story behind the scenery which extends to scenery beyond the parks to their own backyard. Students will also recognize that the plant and animal communities in an area along with the human history are linked to the landforms through the habitat, resources and shelter they provide. Geology of National Parks features five parts: Scenery Developed by Weathering and Erosion on Flay-Lying Rocks Caves and Reefs Landscapes Shaped by Continental and Alpine Glaciation Volcanic Features and Volcanic Activity Landscapes and Structures in Areas of Complex Mountains This edition features 62 National Parks and each has a dedicated chapter within these categories. Highlights of the 8th Edition Presents the geology of the four National Parks that were created since publication of the 7th edition: Gateway Arch, White Sands, Indiana Dunes, and New River Gorge Summarizes exciting recent findings from research in many National Parks, including Grand Canyon, North Cascades, Saguaro and more New images from the bottom of Grand Canyon reveal geologic concepts in the first major chapter of the book Introduces more geological concepts in the front matter and in the openings of each section Includes a reference table for the “concept boxes” throughout the text that pulls this information together, which will help instructors organize lessons and use the National Parks as examples for courses in Physical Geology, Physical Geography, Earth Science, and the Geology of National Parks Includes updates and revisions to many of the chapters for iconic National Parks including Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Grand Canyon Print product comes in a loose leaf format.