Comb Ridge
{{for|the ridge in Antarctica|Comb Ridge (James Ross Island)}}
{{Short description|Landform in Utah and Arizona, US}}
{{Infobox park
| name = Comb Ridge
Tséyíkʼáán {{in lang|nv}}
| photo = Bluff UT - aerial with San Juan River and Comb Ridge.jpg
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| photo_caption = Comb Ridge from the air, above Bluff Utah and the San Juan River
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| nearest_city = Blanding, Utah
| coords = {{coord|37|25|39|N|109|38|47|W|region:US|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
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| designated = 1976
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Comb Ridge ({{langx|nv|{{spell-nv|Tséyíkʼáán}}}})Linford, Laurence D. Navajo Places: History, Legend, Landscape, University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City, UT 2000. is a linear north to south-trending monocline nearly 80 miles long in Southeastern Utah and Northeastern Arizona. Its northern end merges with the Abajo Mountains some eleven miles west of Blanding. It extends essentially due south for {{convert|45|km|abbr=on}} to the San Juan River. South of the San Juan the ridge turns to the southwest and is more subdued in expression as it extends for an additional {{convert|67|km|abbr=on}} to Laguna Creek {{convert|9|km|abbr=on}} east of Kayenta, Arizona.[http://geology.utah.gov/surveynotes/snt44-2.pdf Geosights, Comb Ridge, San Juan County, Utah, May 2012, pp. 9–11] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121126224732/http://www.geology.utah.gov/surveynotes/snt44-2.pdf |date=2012-11-26 }}USGS 30x60 quadrangle topographic maps: Blanding, Utah-Colorado; Bluff, Utah-Colorado; Rock Point, Arizona-New Mexico; Kayenta, Arizona
It was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1976 as the only North American location of tritylodont fossils.{{cite web|title=National Natural Landmark|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nnlandmarks/site.htm?Site=CORI-AZ|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=11 December 2012}} Parts of the ridge in Utah are protected as part of the Bears Ears National Monument.[https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/28/us/politics/obama-national-monument-bears-ears-utah-gold-butte.html Obama Designates Two New National Monuments, Protecting 1.65 Million Acres]. Davenport, Coral. The New York Times, 28 December 2016
Geology
The geologic formations involved in the east dipping strata of the fold include the Jurassic aged Navajo Sandstone, Kayenta Formation, Wingate Sandstone, Chinle Formation, Triassic Moenkopi Formation and Permian Organ Rock Formation. The structure is the surface expression of a deep fault along the east margin of the Monument Uplift.
History
Traces of the Ancestral Puebloan culture can be found along the southern part of the ridge where it follows Chinle Wash. The Macomb and Hayden expeditions in 1869 and 1874–1876, respectively, were the first to publish maps and descriptions of this feature.{{cite book | first = Herbert E. | last = Gregory | date = 1938 | title = The San Juan Country, a Geographic and Geologic Reconnaissance of Southeastern Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 188 | publisher = US Government Printing Office Washington | url = https://archive.org/details/Gregory1938TheSanJuanCountry}} The ridge and adjacent Butler Wash were given their current names in 1884, by P. Holmann.{{Cite news
|url=http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0603/features/comb_ridge.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060519123138/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0603/features/comb_ridge.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 19, 2006 |title=Hiking Comb Ridge |work=National Geographic Adventure Magazine |last=Roberts |first=David |date=March 2006 |accessdate=2009-05-06}}{{Cite book |title=Sandstone Spine: Seeking the Anasazi on the First Traverse of the Comb Ridge |last=Roberts |first=David |publisher=Mountaineers Books |isbn=1-59485-005-4}}
Numerous cliff dwellings are found along the ridge.
File:Monarch cave ruin.jpg|Monarch Cave Ruin cliff dwelling on Comb Ridge
File:Monarch cave ruin close.jpg|Monarch Cave Ruin cliff dwelling on Comb Ridge
File:House on Fire Ruin.jpg|House on Fire Ruin near Comb Ridge
File:Eternal Procession.jpg|Procession Panel petroglyph
See also
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{commons category|Comb Ridge}}
- [https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nnlandmarks/site.htm?Site=CORI-AZ Comb Ridge] National Park Service
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Category:National Natural Landmarks in Arizona
Category:Landforms of Apache County, Arizona
Category:Landforms of Navajo County, Arizona
Category:Landforms of San Juan County, Utah
Category:Rock formations of Arizona