NPS Stratotype Inventory

layered rock in rounded canyon walls — Sonsela Member of the Chinle Formation at Blue Mesa in Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona.
NPS photo

Introduction

Designated stratotypes are important to science because they are the reference point for describing rocks according to established classifications for strata and formations. The goal of this project is to consolidate information pertaining to geologic stratotypes which occur within NPS-administered areas.

Through the inventory, monitoring, and study of park resources, we gain a greater understanding of the scope, significance, distribution, and management issues associated with these resources and their use. This baseline of natural resource information is available to inform park managers, scientists, stakeholders, and the public about the conditions of these resources and the factors or activities which may threaten or influence their stability.

The Best Rock

There are several different categories of geologic or stratigraphic units (supergroup, group, formation, member, bed) which represent a hierarchical system of classification. The mapping of stratigraphic units involves the evaluation of lithologies, bedding properties, thickness, geographic distribution, and other factors. If a new mappable geologic unit is identified, it may be described and named through a rigorously defined process that is standardized and codified by the professional geologic community (North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature 2005). In most instances when a new geologic unit such as a formation is described and named in the scientific literature, a specific and well-exposed section of the unit is designated as the type section or type locality.

There are several variations of stratotype referred to in the literature which are used in the NPS Stratotype Inventory—they are defined as following:

Type Section or Type Area

Unit stratotypes include the type section for a stratified deposit or the type area for a non-stratified body that serves as the standard for recognition and definition of a geologic unit (North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature 2005). Once a unit stratotype is assigned, it is never changed. The term “unit stratotype” is commonly referred to as “type section” and “type area” in this report.

Type Locality

A type locality is the specific geographic locality encompassing the unit stratotype of a formally recognized and defined unit. On a broader scale, a type area is the geographic territory encompassing the type locality. Before development of the stratotype concept, only type localities and type areas were designated for many geologic units that are now long- and well-established (North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature 2005).

Reference Section

For well-established geologic units for which a type section was never assigned, a reference section may serve as an invaluable standard in definitions or revisions. A principle reference section may also be designated for units whose stratotypes have been destroyed, covered, or are otherwise inaccessible (North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature 2005). Multiple reference sections can be designated for a single unit to help illustrate heterogeneity or some critical feature not found in the stratotype. Reference sections can help supplement unit stratotypes in the case where the stratotype proves inadequate (North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature 2005).

Global Boundary Stratotype

Global Boundary Stratotype Sections and Points (GSSPs) are internationally agreed upon reference points on stratigraphic sections of rock which define the lower boundaries of stages on the geologic time scale. The International Commission on Stratigraphy maintains the official international GSSP register.

Lithodeme

The term lithodeme is defined as a mappable unit of plutonic and highly metamorphosed or pervasively deformed rock and is a term equivalent in rank to “formation” among stratified rocks (North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature 2005). The formal name of a lithodeme consists of a geographic name followed by a descriptive term that denotes the average modal composition of the rock (example: Cathedral Peak Granodiorite). Lithodemes are commonly assigned type localities, type areas, and reference localities.

National Park Type Sections

Type Section Summaries by Park [ Articles Under Development]

Note: All park information is also available in the Inventories by Network [PDFs] drop-down box further down this webpage.

Acadia National Park, Maine [Site Under Development]
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, Kentucky (no designated stratotypes identified)
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska [Site Under Development]
Alagnak Wild River, Alaska (no designated stratotypes identified)
Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Pennsylvania (no designated stratotypes identified)
American Memorial Park, Northern Mariana Islands (no designated stratotypes identified)
Amistad National Recreation Area, Texas (no designated stratotypes identified)
Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve, Alaska [Site Under Development]
Antietam National Battlefield, Maryland (no designated stratotypes identified)
Apostle Island National Lakeshore, Wisconsin [Site Under Development]
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Virginia (no designated stratotypes identified)
Appalachian National Scenic Trail, CT, GA, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV [Site Under Development]
Arches National Park, Utah (no designated stratotypes identified)
Arkansas Post National Memorial, Arkansas (no designated stratotypes identified)
Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland and Virginia (no designated stratotypes identified)
Aztec Ruins National Monument, New Mexico (no designated stratotypes identified)
Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico [Site Under Development]
Badlands National Park, South Dakota [Site Under Development]
Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site, Colorado (no designated stratotypes identified)
Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Alaska [Site Under Development]
Big Bend National Park, Texas [Site Under Development]
Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida [Site Under Development]
Big Hole National Battlefield, Montana (no designated stratotypes identified)
Big South Fork National River and National Recreation Area, Kentucky and Tennessee (no designated stratotypes identified)
Big Thicket National Preserve, Texas [Site Under Development]
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Wyoming and Montana (no designated stratotypes identified)
Biscayne National Park, Florida (no designated stratotypes identified)
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado (no designated stratotypes identified)
Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina and Virginia [Site Under Development]
Bluestone National Scenic River, West Virginia (no designated stratotypes identified)
Booker T. Washington National Monument, Virginia (no designated stratotypes identified)
Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, Massachusetts (no designated stratotypes identified)
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah (no designated stratotypes identified)
Buck Island Reef National Monument (no designated stratotypes identified)
Buffalo National River, Arkansas [Site Under Development]
Cabrillo National Monument, California [Site Under Development]
Canaveral National Seashore, Florida (no designated stratotypes identified)
Canyon De Chelly National Monument, Arizona [Site Under Development]
Canyonlands National Park, Utah [Site Under Development]
Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts (no designated stratotypes identified)
Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina (no designated stratotypes identified)
Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Alaska (no designated stratotypes identified)
Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina (no designated stratotypes identified)
Capitol Reef National Park, Utah (no designated stratotypes identified)
Capulin Volcano National Monument, New Mexico [Site Under Development]
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, North Carolina [Site Under Development]
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico (no designated stratotypes identified)
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Arizona (no designated stratotypes identified)
Castillo De San Marcos National Monument, Florida (no designated stratotypes identified)
Catoctin Mountain Park, Maryland (no designated stratotypes identified)
Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah (no designated stratotypes identified)
Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park, Virginia [Site Under Development]
Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico (no designated stratotypes identified)
Channel Islands National Park, California [Site Under Development]
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Georgia [Site Under Development]
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Maryland, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. [Site Under Development]
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Georgia and Tennessee (no designated stratotypes identified)
Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Oklahoma (no designated stratotypes identified)
Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona [Site Under Development]
City of Rocks National Reserve, Idaho (no designated stratotypes identified)
Colonial National Historical Park, Virginia [Site Under Development]
Colorado National Monument, Colorado (no designated stratotypes identified)
Congaree National Park, South Carolina (no designated stratotypes identified)
Coronado National Memorial, Arizona [Site Under Development]
Cowpens National Battlefield, South Carolina (no designated stratotypes identified)
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon [Site Under Development]
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Idaho (no designated stratotypes identified)
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia [Site Under Development]
Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia (no designated stratotypes identified)
Curecanti National Recreation Area, Colorado [Site Under Development]
Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio [Site Under Development]
Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada [Site Under Development]
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, New Jersey and Pennsylvania [Site Under Development]
Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska [Site Under Development]
Devils Postpile National Monument, California (no designated stratotypes identified)
Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming (no designated stratotypes identified)
Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado and Utah [Site Under Development]
Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida (no designated stratotypes identified)
Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve, Washington [Site Under Development]
Effigy Mounds National Monument, Iowa (no designated stratotypes identified)
Eisenhower National Historic Site, Pennsylvania (no designated stratotypes identified)
El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico (no designated stratotypes identified)
El Morro National Monument, New Mexico (no designated stratotypes identified)
Everglades National Park, Florida (no designated stratotypes identified)
Fire Island National Seashore, New York (no designated stratotypes identified)
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado (no designated stratotypes identified)
Fort Bowie National Historic Site, Arizona (no designated stratotypes identified)
Fort Davis National Historic Site, Texas (no designated stratotypes identified)
Fort Donelson National Battlefield, Kentucky and Tennessee (no designated stratotypes identified)
Fort Frederica National Monument, Georgia (no designated stratotypes identified)
Fort Laramie National Historic Site, Wyoming (no designated stratotypes identified)
Fort Larned National Historic Site, Kansas (no designated stratotypes identified)
Fort Matanzas National Monument, Florida (no designated stratotypes identified)
Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Pennsylvania (no designated stratotypes identified)
Fort Point National Historic Site, California (no designated stratotypes identified)
Fort Pulaski National Monument, Georgia (no designated stratotypes identified)
Fort Scott National Historic Site, Kansas (no designated stratotypes identified)
Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, South Carolina (no designated stratotypes identified)
Fort Union National Monument, New Mexico (no designated stratotypes identified)
Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, North Dakota and Montana (no designated stratotypes identified)
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, Oregon and Washington (no designated stratotypes identified)
Fossil Butte National Monument, Wyoming [Site Under Development]
Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, Virginia (no designated stratotypes identified)
Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Pennsylvania (no designated stratotypes identified)
Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska [Site Under Development]
Gateway National Recreation Area, New Jersey and New York (no designated stratotypes identified)
Gauley River National Recreation Area, West Virginia (no designated stratotypes identified)
George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Virginia (no designated stratotypes identified)
George Washington Carver National Monument, Missouri (no designated stratotypes identified)
George Washington Memorial Parkway, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. [Site Under Development]
Gettysburg National Military Park, Pennsylvania (no designated stratotypes identified)
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, New Mexico [Site Under Development]
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska [Site Under Development]
Glacier National Park, Montana
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Arizona and Utah [Site Under Development]
Golden Gate National Recreation Area, California [Site Under Development]
Golden Spike National Historical Park, Utah (no designated stratotypes identified)
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona [Site Under Development]
Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Arizona
Grand Portage National Monument, Minnesota (no designated stratotypes identified)
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, Montana (no designated stratotypes identified)
Great Basin National Park, Nevada [Site Under Development]
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado (no designated stratotypes identified)
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina [Site Under Development]
Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas [Site Under Development]
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, North Carolina (no designated stratotypes identified)
Gulf Islands National Seashore, Mississippi and Florida (no designated stratotypes identified)
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, Idaho [Site Under Development]
Haleakalā National Park, Hawai‘i [Site Under Development]
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia [Site Under Development]
Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Hawai‘i [Site Under Development]
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Iowa (no designated stratotypes identified)
Homestead National Historical Park of America, Nebraska (no designated stratotypes identified)
Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, Ohio (no designated stratotypes identified)
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Pennsylvania (no designated stratotypes identified)
Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, Alabama (no designated stratotypes identified)
Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas [Site Under Development]
Hovenweep National Monument, Colorado and Utah (no designated stratotypes identified)
Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, Arizona (no designated stratotypes identified)
Ice Age National Scenic Trail and Ice Age National Scientific Reserve, Wisconsin [Site Under Development]
Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana (no designated stratotypes identified)
Isle Royale National Park, Michigan [Site Under Development]
Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, Louisiana (no designated stratotypes identified)
Jewel Cave National Monument, South Dakota (no designated stratotypes identified)
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. National Memorial Parkway, Wyoming
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon [Site Under Development]
John Muir National Historic Site, California [Site Under Development]
Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Pennsylvania (no designated stratotypes identified)
Joshua Tree National Park, California (no designated stratotypes identified)
Kalaupapa National Historical Park, Hawai‘i [Site Under Development]
Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, Hawai‘i (no designated stratotypes identified)
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Maine [Site Under Development]
Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska [Site Under Development]
Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska (no designated stratotypes identified)
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Georgia (no designated stratotypes identified)
Keweenaw National Historical Park, Michigan [Site Under Development]
Kings Mountain National Military Park, South Carolina [Site Under Development]
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Alaska (no designated stratotypes identified)
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, North Dakota (no designated stratotypes identified)
Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska (no designated stratotypes identified)
Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska [Site Under Development]
Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Arizona and Nevada [Site Under Development]
Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, Texas (no designated stratotypes identified)
Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, Washington (no designated stratotypes identified)
Lassen Volcanic National Park, California (no designated stratotypes identified)
Lava Beds National Monument, California (no designated stratotypes identified)
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Oregon and Washington (no designated stratotypes identified)
Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, Indiana (no designated stratotypes identified)
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Montana (no designated stratotypes identified)
Little River Canyon National Preserve, Alabama (no designated stratotypes identified)
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, Texas (no designated stratotypes identified)
Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky(no designated stratotypes identified)
Manzanar National Historic Site, California (no designated stratotypes identified)
Manassas National Battlefield Park, Virginia [Site Under Development]
Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, Vermont (no designated stratotypes identified)
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado [Site Under Development]
Minidoka National Historic Site, Idaho and Washington (no designated stratotypes identified)
Minute Man National Historical Park, Massachusetts (no designated stratotypes identified)
Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, Minnesota [Site Under Development]
Missouri National Recreational River, South Dakota and Nebraska [Site Under Development]
Mojave National Preserve, California [Site Under Development]
Monocacy National Battlefield, Maryland [Site Under Development]
Montezuma Castle National Monument, Arizona (no designated stratotypes identified)
Moores Creek National Battlefield, North Carolina (no designated stratotypes identified)
Morristown National Historical Park, New Jersey (no designated stratotypes identified)
Mount Rainier National Park, Washington [Site Under Development]
Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota (no designated stratotypes identified)
Muir Woods National Monument, California (no designated stratotypes identified)
Natchez Trace Parkway, Mississippi and Tennessee (no designated stratotypes identified)
National Capital Parks-East, Washington, D.C., Maryland [Site Under Development]
National Park of American Samoa, American Samoa [Site Under Development]
Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah (no designated stratotypes identified)
Navajo National Monument, Arizona (no designated stratotypes identified)
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, West Virginia [Site Under Development]
Nez Perce National Historical Park, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and Montana (no designated stratotypes identified)
Ninety Six National Historic Site, South Carolina (no designated stratotypes identified)
Niobrara National Scenic River, Nebraska [Site Under Development]
Noatak National Preserve, Alaska [Site Under Development]
North Cascades National Park Complex, Washington [Site Under Development]
Obed Wild and Scenic River, Tennessee (no designated stratotypes identified)
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, Georgia (no designated stratotypes identified)
Olympic National Park, Washington [Site Under Development]
Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve, Oregon (no designated stratotypes identified)
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona (no designated stratotypes identified)
Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Missouri [Site Under Development]
Padre Island National Seashore, Texas (no designated stratotypes identified)
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park, Texas (no designated stratotypes identified)
Pea Ridge National Military Park, Arkansas (no designated stratotypes identified)
Pecos National Historical Park, New Mexico (no designated stratotypes identified)
Petersburg National Battlefield, Virginia (no designated stratotypes identified)
Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona [Site Under Development]
Petroglyph National Monument, New Mexico (no designated stratotypes identified)
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan [Site Under Development]
Pinnacles National Park, California [Site Under Development]
Pipe Spring National Monument, Arizona (no designated stratotypes identified)
Pipestone National Monument, Minnesota (no designated stratotypes identified)
Point Reyes National Seashore, California [Site Under Development]
Prince William Forest Park, Virginia [Site Under Development]
Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, Hawai‘i (no designated stratotypes identified)
Pu‘ukoholā Heiau National Historic Site, Hawai‘i (no designated stratotypes identified)
Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Utah (no designated stratotypes identified)
Redwood National and State Parks, California [Site Under Development]
Richmond National Battlefield Park, Virginia (no designated stratotypes identified)
Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River, Texas (no designated stratotypes identified)
Rock Creek Park, Washington, D.C. (no designated stratotypes identified)
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Roosevelt-Vanderbilt Headquarters, New York (no designated stratotypes identified)
Russell Cave National Monument, Alabama (no designated stratotypes identified)
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, New York (no designated stratotypes identified)
Saguaro National Park, Arizona [Site Under Development]
Saint Croix National Scenic River, Minnesota and Wisconsin [Site Under Development]
Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, New Hampshire (no designated stratotypes identified)
Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, New Mexico [Site Under Development]
Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Reserve, U.S. Virgin Islands [Site Under Development]
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, Texas (no designated stratotypes identified)
San Juan Island National Historical Park, Washington (no designated stratotypes identified)
Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, Colorado (no designated stratotypes identified)
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, California [Site Under Development]
Saratoga National Historical Park, New York (no designated stratotypes identified)
Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site, Massachusetts (no designated stratotypes identified)
Scotts Bluff National Monument, Nebraska [Site Under Development]
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, California
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia [Site Under Development]
Shiloh National Military Park, Tennessee and Mississippi (no designated stratotypes identified)
Sitka National Historical Park, Alaska (no designated stratotypes identified)
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan (no designated stratotypes identified)
Stones River National Battlefield, Tennessee (no designated stratotypes identified)
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Arizona (no designated stratotypes identified)
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Kansas (no designated stratotypes identified)
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota (no designated stratotypes identified)
Thomas Stone National Historic Site, Maryland (no designated stratotypes identified)
Timpanogos Cave National Monument, Utah (no designated stratotypes identified)
Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve and Fort Caroline National Memori, Florida (no designated stratotypes identified)
Tonto National Monument, Arizona (no designated stratotypes identified)
Tumacácori National Historical Park, Arizona (no designated stratotypes identified)
Tuzigoot National Monument, Arizona (no designated stratotypes identified)
Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, Pennsylvania and New York [Site Under Development]
Valles Caldera National Preserve, New Mexico [Site Under Development]
Valley Forge National Historical Park, Pennsylvania (no designated stratotypes identified)
Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi and Louisiana [Site Under Development]
Virgin Islands National Park, U.S. Virgin Islands (no designated stratotypes identified)
Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota [Site Under Development]
Waco Mammoth National Monument, Texas (no designated stratotypes identified)
Walnut Canyon National Monument, Arizona (no designated stratotypes identified)
War in the Pacific National Historical Park, Guam [Site Under Development]
Washita Battlefield National Historic Site, Oklahoma (no designated stratotypes identified)
Weir Farm National Historical Park, Connecticut (no designated stratotypes identified)
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, California (no designated stratotypes identified)
White Sands National Park, New Mexico (no designated stratotypes identified)
Whitman Mission National Historic Site, Washington (no designated stratotypes identified)
Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Missouri (no designated stratotypes identified)
Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota (no designated stratotypes identified)
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, Virginia (no designated stratotypes identified)
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska [Site Under Development]
Wupatki National Monument, Arizona [Site Under Development]
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
Yosemite National Park, California
Yucca House National Monument, Coloradao (no designated stratotypes identified)
Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, Alaska [Site Under Development]
Zion National Park, Utah [Site Under Development]

Related links

Type Section Inventory References

Type Section Inventories by Network [PDFs]

Arctic Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Bering Land Bridge National Preserve (BELA), Cape Krusenstern National Monument (CAKR), Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (GAAR), Kobuk Valley National Park (KOVA), Noatak National Preserve (NOAT).
Appalachian Highlands Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Big South Fork National River and National Recreation Area (BUSI), Blue Ridge Parkway (BLRI), Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM), Obed Wild and Scenic River (OBED).
Central Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Denali National Park and Preserve (DENA), Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (WRST), Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve (YUCH)
Chihuahuan Desert Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Amistad National Recreation Area (AMIS), Big Bend National Park (BIBE), Carlsbad Caverns National Park (CAVE), Fort Davis National Historic Site (FODA), Guadalupe Mountains National Park (GUMO), Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River (RIGR), White Sands National Park (WHSA).
Cumberland Piedmont Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park (ABLI), Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site (CARL), Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park (CHCH), Cowpens National Battlefield (COWP), Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (CUGA), Fort Donelson National Battlefield (FODO), Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (GUCO), Kings Mountain National Military Park (KIMO), Little River Canyon National Preserve (LIRI), Mammoth Cave National Park (MACA), Ninety Six National Historic Site (NISI), Russell Cave National Monument (RUCA), Shiloh National Military Park (SHIL), Stones River National Battlefield (STRI).
Eastern Rivers and Mountains Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site (ALPO), Bluestone National Scenic River (BLUE), Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DEWA), Fort Necessity National Battlefield (FONE), Friendship Hill National Historic Site (FRHI), Gauley River National Recreation Area (GARI), Johnstown Flood National Memorial (JOFL), New River Gorge National Park and Preserve (NERI), Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River (UPDE).
Great Lakes Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Apostle Island National Lakeshore (APIS), Grand Portage National Monument (GRPO), Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IATR) and Ice Age National Scientific Reserve (ICAG), Indiana Dunes National Park (INDU), Isle Royale National Park (ISRO), Keweenaw National Historical Park (KEWE), Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MISS), Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (PIRO), Saint Croix National Scenic River (SACN), Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (SLBE), Voyageurs National Park (VOYA).
Greater Yellowstone Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area (BICA), Grand Teton National Park (GRTE), John D. Rockefeller, Jr. National Memorial Parkway (JODR), Yellowstone National Park (YELL).
Gulf Coast Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Big Thicket National Preserve (BITH), Gulf Islands National Seashore (GUIS), Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve (JELA), Natchez Trace Parkway (NATR), Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS), Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park (PAAL), San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (SAAN), Vicksburg National Military Park (VICK).
Heartland Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Arkansas Post National Memorial (ARPO), Buffalo National River (BUFF), Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CUVA), Effigy Mounds National Monument, Fort Scott National Historic Site (FOSC), George Washington Carver National Monument (GWCA), Herbert Hoover National Historic Site (HEHO), Homestead National Historical Park of America (HOME), Hopewell Culture National Historical Park (HOCU), Hot Springs National Park (HOSP), Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial (LIBO), Ozark National Scenic Riverways (OZAR), Pea Ridge National Military Park (PERI), Pipestone National Monument (PIPE), Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (TAPR), Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield (WICR).
Klamath Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Crater Lake National Park (CRLA), Lassen Volcanic National Park (LAVO), Lava Beds National Monument (LABE), Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve (ORCA), Redwood National and State Parks (REDW), Whiskeytown National Recreation Area (WHIS).
Mediterranean Coast Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Cabrillo National Monument (CABR), Channel Islands National Park (CHIS), Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SAMO).
Mid-Atlantic Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park (APCO), Booker T. Washington National Monument (BOWA), Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park (CEBE), Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park
(FRSP), Gettysburg National Military Park (GETT), Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site (HOFU), Petersburg National Battlefield (PETE), Richmond National Battlefield Park (RICH), Shenandoah National Park (SHEN), Valley Forge National Historical Park (VAFO),
Mojave Desert Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Death Valley National Park (DEVA), Great Basin National Park (GRBA), Joshua Tree National Park (JOTR), Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LAKE), Manzanar National Historic Site (MANZ), Mojave National Preserve (MOJA), Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument (PARA).
National Capital Region Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Antietam National Battlefield (ANTI), Catoctin Mountain Park (CATO), Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park (CHOH), George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP), Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (HAFE), Manassas National Battlefield Park (MANA), Monocacy National Battlefield (MONO), National Capital Parks-East (NACE), Prince William Forest Park (PRWI), Rock Creek Park (ROCR), Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts (WOTR).
North Coast and Cascades Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve (EBLA), Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (FOVA), Lewis and Clark National Historical Park (LEWI), Mount Rainier National Park (MORA), North Cascades National Park Complex (NOCA, ROLA, and LACH), Olympic National Park (OLYM), San Juan Island National Historical Park (SAJH).
Northeast Coastal and Barrier Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Assateague Island National Seashore (ASIS), Cape Cod National Seashore (CACO), Colonial National Historical Park (COLO), Fire Island National Seashore (FIIS),Gateway National Recreation Area (GATE), George Washington Birthplace National Monument (GEWA), Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (SAHI), Thomas Stone National Historic Site (THST).
Northeast Temperate Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Acadia National Park (ACAD); Appalachian National Scenic Trail (APPA); Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area (BOHA); Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument (KAWW); Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park (MABI); Minute Man National Historical Park (MIMA); Morristown National Historical Park (MORR); Roosevelt-Vanderbilt Headquarters (ROVA) that consists of Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site (ELRO), Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site (HOFR), and Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site (VAMA); Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park (SAGA); Saratoga National Historical Park (SARA); Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site (SAIR); and Weir Farm National Historical Park (WEFA)
Northern Colorado Plateau Inventory & Monitoring Network [PFD]
Arches National Park (ARCH), Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (BLCA), Bryce Canyon National Park (BRCA), Canyonlands National Park (CANY), Capitol Reef National Park (CARE), Cedar Breaks National Monument (CEBR), Colorado National Monument (COLM), Curecanti National Recreation Area (CURE), Dinosaur National Monument (DINO), Fossil Butte National Monument (FOBU), Golden Spike National Historical Park (GOSP), Hovenweep National Monument (HOVE), Natural Bridges National Monument (NABR), Pipe Spring National Monument (PISP), Timpanogos Cave National Monument (TICA), Zion National Park (ZION).
Northern Great Plains Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument (AGFO), Badlands National Park (BADL), Devils Tower National Monument (DETO), Fort Laramie National Historic Site (FOLA), Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site (FOUS), Jewel Cave National Monument (JECA), Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site (KNRI), Missouri National Recreational River (MNRR), Mount Rushmore National Memorial (MORU), Niobrara National Scenic River (NIOB), Scotts Bluff National Monument (SCBL), Theodore Roosevelt National Park (THRO), Wind Cave National Park (WICA).
Pacific Island Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
American Memorial Park (AMME), Haleakalā National Park (HALE), Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park (HAVO), Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park (KAHO), Kalaupapa National Historical Park (KALA), National Park of American Samoa (NPSA), Pu‘ukoholā Heiau National Historic Site (PUHE), Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park (PUHO), War in the Pacific National Historical Park (WAPA).
Rocky Mountain Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument (FLFO), Glacier National Park (GLAC), Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site (GRKO), Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (GRSA), Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument (LIBI), Rocky Mountain National Park (ROMO).
San Francisco Bay Area Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Fort Point National Historic Site (FOPO), Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GOGA), John Muir National Historic Site (JOMU), Muir Woods National Monument (MUWO), Pinnacles National Park (PINN), Point Reyes National Seashore (PORE).
Sierra Nevada Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Devils Postpile National Monument (DEPO), Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (SEKI), Yosemite National Park (YOSE).
Sonoran Desert Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (CAGR), Chiricahua National Monument (CHIR), Coronado National Memorial (CORO), Fort Bowie National Historic Site (FOBO), Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument (GICL), Montezuma Castle National Monument (MOCA), Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (ORPI), Saguaro National Park (SAGU), Tonto National Monument (TONT), Tumacácori National Historical Park (TUMA), Tuzigoot National Monument (TUZI).
South Florida/Caribbean Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Big Cypress National Preserve (BICY), Biscayne National Park (BISC), Buck Island Reef National Monument (BUIS), Dry Tortugas National Park (DRTO), Everglades National Park (EVER), Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Reserve (SARI), Virgin Islands National Park (VIIS).
Southeast Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GLBA), Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (KLGO), Sitka National Historical Park (SITK).
Southeast Coast Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CAHA), Cape Lookout National Seashore (CALO), Canaveral National Seashore (CANA), Castillo De San Marcos National Monument (CASA), Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CHAT), Congaree National Park (CONG), Cumberland Island National Seashore (CUIS), Fort Frederica National Monument (FOFR), Fort Matanzas National Monument (FOMA), Fort Pulaski National Monument (FOPU), Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park (FOSU), Horseshoe Bend National Military Park (HOBE), Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park (KEMO), Moores Creek National Battlefield (MOCR), Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park (OCMU), Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve (TIMU) and Fort Caroline National Memorial (FOCA).
Southern Colorado Plateau Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Aztec Ruins National Monument (AZRU), Bandelier National Monument (BAND), Canyon De Chelly National Monument (CACH), Chaco Culture National Historical Park (CHCU), El Malpais National Monument (ELMA), El Morro National Monument (ELMO), Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (GLCA), Grand Canyon National Park (GRCA), Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site (HUTR), Mesa Verde National Park (MEVE), Navajo National Monument (NAVA), Petrified Forest National Park (PEFO), Petroglyph National Monument (PETR), Rainbow Bridge National Monument (RABR), Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument (SAPU), Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument (SUCR), Valles Caldera National Preserve (VALL), Walnut Canyon National Monument (WACA), Wupatki National Monument (WUPA), Yucca House National Monument (YUHO).
Southern Plains Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument (ALFL), Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site (BEOL), Capulin Volcano National Monument (CAVO), Chickasaw National Recreation Area (CHIC), Fort Larned National Historic Site (FOLS), Fort Union National Monument (FOUN), Lake Meredith National Recreation Area (LAMR), Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park (LYJO), Pecos National Historical Park (PECO), Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site (SAND), Waco Mammoth National Monument (WACO), Washita Battlefield National Historic Site (WABA).
Southwest Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Alagnak Wild River (ALAG), Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve (ANIA), Katmai National Park and Preserve (KATM), Kenai Fjords National Park (KEFJ), Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (LACL).
Upper Columbia Basin Inventory & Monitoring Network [PDF]
Big Hole National Battlefield (BIHO), City of Rocks National Reserve (CIRO), Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve (CRMO), Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument (HAFO), John Day Fossil Beds National Monument (JODA), Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area (LARO), Minidoka National Historic Site (MIIN), Nez Perce National Historical Park (NEPE).

NPS Stratotypes in Published Inventory Reports

National Park System stratotypes by park. A partial listing from an ongoing inventory.
Formation (map unit)	Park Unit	Network	Number of Stratotypes	Stratotype(s)	Reference(s)	Age

Leave No Trace—Protect Type Sections for Science

Many type sections and paleontological sites are vulnerable to damage from careless visitation and over-use. Be sure to practice Leave No Trace principles whenever you are in the outdoors. Of particular importance at geoheritage sites is to:

Travel and camp on durable surfaces, and
Leave what you find.

If you see signs of vandalism or someone acting inappropriately during your visit to a park site, please contact a ranger at the park or make a report through NPS Investigative Services.