The Redwall Limestone consists consists of dense, gray, mostly microcrystalline carbonate with rare marine invertebrate fossils in some areas. Outcrops tend to consist of massive to thick-bedded layers that are generally resistant to weathering and erosion relative to the sandstone and shale formations above and below. The cliffs get their red appearance from the red, iron-rich clay sediments that wash down from the overlying Supai Group (Weaver, 2006). This view is where the South Kaibab Trail begins its descent through the Redwall Limestone. |