The Kings Canyon Fold main content.

The Kings Canyon Fold

Part of Hall of Planet Earth.

The King's Canyon Fold AMNH/R.Mickens

Exhibition Text

Tightly folded rocks like the ones in this outcrop illustrate how rocks can be deformed at high temperatures and pressures. The rocks were once siltstones and limestones. They were buried, folded, and transformed into slate and marble during the uplift of the huge mass of molten granite, known as a batholith, that now makes up the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

For Educators

Topic: Earth Science

Subtopic: Earth Formation/Evolution

Keywords: Slate, Rock deformation, Siltstone, Rocks, Limestone, Marble, Orogeny

Audience: General