Sat, Aug 16
|Bakersfield
Tim Elam, Geology of the Grand Canyon
Perhaps no place in the world can inspire more superlatives than the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River. How, when, and why did the Grand Canyon form? What makes it unique…different from other large canyons?
Time & Location
Aug 16, 2025, 1:30 PM
Bakersfield, 2018 Chester Ave, Bakersfield, CA 93301, USA
About the Event
Geology of the Grand Canyon
August 16, 2025
1:30 PM
Perhaps no place in the world can inspire more superlatives than the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River. Inspirational and colorful, beautiful and immense, this 277-mile long canyon has attracted indigenous peoples, explorers, military surveyors, tourists, artists, geologists, fortune-hunters, and adventure seekers for centuries.
The steep, colorful cliffs of the Grand Canyon make it one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. But its stark landscapes and barriers to transportation led Army lieutenant Joseph Christmas Ives to say in 1858 “The region… is of course altogether valueless…after entering it, there is nothing to do but leave.”
How, when, and why did the Grand Canyon form? What makes it unique…different from other large canyons?
Join former Grand Canyon Park Ranger Tim Elam as he will address these questions and take you on a rich photographic tour of the rocks of the Grand Canyon. He will also talk about…unofficially…the devastating fires that continue to burn on the North Rim…where he used to work. Also, he will try to answer your questions about being a park ranger.
The presentation will be informal, and questions and discussion are encouraged. No geological background is necessary to enjoy the event.
There will be no extra charge for attending this event…just the normal Museum entrance fee.