Landform Picture Gallery
Special Galleries: Glacial Landforms and Features, Mountains
DEPOSITIONAL LANDFORMS
Landforms built up by the movement of sediment.
Alluvial FanThey're all over the West; here's one in Montana.
BajadaThis debris apron has an unusual deposit on top.
BarA sediment pile that may also be a barrier.
Beach TerraceAncient terraces in desert basins tell of wetter times.
Braided StreamAlso called an anastomosing stream.
Landslides:
EarthflowPerhaps the gentlest kind of landslide.
LaharA Colombian example of these destructive volcanic mudflows.
RockslideSeveral examples on a glacier.
SlumpThis landslide ranges from sitzmark- to city-size.
PlayaDry lake beds are flat, but exciting places.
TomboloA rare orthogonal sand bar on a northern California beach.
Special Galleries: Landslides, Tombolos
EROSIONAL LANDFORMS
Landforms carved by the action of erosion.
ArchA short, sweet natural arch in Arches National Park, Utah.
BadlandsAn example in Wyoming shows their ragged glory.
ButteCall this Southwest icon "bewt" or be the butt of ridicule.
CanyonHere's a big one, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
ChimneyA typical rock column stands off a beach.
CuestasGentle erosional ridges on the Colorado Plateau.
GullyThis is just a few meters deep, but all gullies are small.
Hanging ValleyFound in glacial areas and coasts, not Western movies.
HogbackErosional landforms shown here in the Western range.
HoodooDesert erosion carves grotesque shapes like this mushroom...
Hoodoo Rock. . . and this one, which must be a camel.
Mesa in Sedimentary RocksAn example in northern Utah.
Mesa in Volcanic RocksLava flows built this mesa on the Snake River.
Sea ArchThis one studs the ocean near Goat Rock Beach, California.
TorRocky knob common in Britainbut also in the Mojave Desert.
Volcanic NecksHere's a pair of them on the central California coast.
Water GapThese form in two different ways.
Wave-Cut PlatformsTwo are shown here: one ancient, one active.
Special Gallery: Wave-Cut Platforms
TECTONIC LANDFORMS
Landforms made by movements of the Earth's crust.
EscarpmentA large cliff usually made by faulting.
Sag PondMotion on the San Andreas fault created these two examples.
Shutter RidgeA classic indicator of fault motion, on the Hayward fault.
Stream OffsetWallace Creek zigzags across the San Andreas fault.
Special Galleries: San Andreas fault, Subduction-Related Rocks
VOLCANIC LANDFORMS
Landforms related to eruptions of lava.
CalderaA sign of an exceptionally fierce volcanic eruption.
Cinder ConeA handsome volcanic structure on the side of Mauna Kea.
GeyserEveryone's favorite geologic personality.
HornitoSpurting lava builds little cones resembling old-fashioned ovens.
Lava PillowsLava pillows, or pillow lavas, at Avila Beach.
MaarA low volcanic structure created by steam explosions.
Mud VolcanoThey look like volcanoes but they're usually small and cold.
Tuff ConeA baby maar volcano with a lava lake.
Tuff RingThe stockade-like remnant of a maar.
TuyaA peculiar volcanic mesa built by an eruption under a glacier.
Special Galleries: Basic Volcano Types, Lava Pillows, Mud Volcanoes
Other picture galleries:
Fossil Pictures
Glaciers and Ice Pictures
Mineral Pictures
Rock Pictures
Geologic Features and Processes Pictures
Geology and Society Pictures
Free Geologic Wallpaper Pictures

