Bryce Amphitheatre from Sunset Point, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

A delicate fin is quickly disappearing into the canyon as wind and rain wear away the spires. Layers of sediment laid down when the area was an ancient freshwater lake system are different colors due to the presence or absence of iron oxides. The tops of some hoodoos are protected by caps of dolomite, a harder, magnesium rich rock that resists weathering until the softer rock beneath has worn away and the cap falls to the floor of the canyon.

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