The region is geologically unique, and in some respects a bit disconcerting, due to the fact that it is presently rising. The uplifting of land from a geologic perspective is quite common, but when land rises, it typically involves the building of mountains. Mountain building is a traumatic event on our planet where rocks are subjected to immense pressures with folding and faulting involved. The Colorado plateau is unique due to the nature of the lift. This region is rising fairly uniformly, as one unit. The rate of uplift is about one inch over the course of our lifetime, which is quite fast when one considers the profound nature of geologic time. The mechanism by which the land is rising is understood, but why the uplift is uniform is still a mystery.
The uplifting Colorado Plateau is the main reason why the southwest looks the way it does. As this land rises, the rivers, creeks and streams must respond to keep their flow going in the same direction. While a river has no consciousness, it does know that down is the way it should flow. When presented with this scenario, a river has two choices – change its course and flow to lower ground, or, if the river has enough erosion force, it will naturally respond to the uplift by carving into it. This differential erosion by the waterways of the southwest is the reason why it s landscapes are so unique. The National Parks such as: Bryce Canyon, Zion Canyon, Canyonlands, Arches, Capitol Reef, and the Grand Canyon all formed due to the mechanism of differential erosion.
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