These rocks formed deep beneath the surface of the earth and were uplifted, eroded, and exposed for eons. By 600 million years ago North America had been eroded to a remarkably smooth surface. It is on this crystalline rock surface that the younger, more familiar layered rocks of the Colorado Plateaus were deposited.
What is the climate in the Colorado Plateau region?
Climate. Average annual precipitation across the Southern Colorado Plateau Network. SCPN parks lie in a zone of arid temperate climates characterized by periods of drought and irregular precipitation, relatively warm to hot growing seasons, and long winters with sustained periods of freezing temperatures.