Geology of California's Golden Gate 
A Virtual Field Trip

 
Geologic exposures on the opposite sides of the Golden Gate provide strikingly different perspectives to the geological origins of the California Coast. This virtual  field trip is designed to provide the participants with a look at these extremely different rock exposures.

The rocks in the Marin Headlands give us a view of a "relatively" undisturbed section of ancient ocean floor. The rocks on the San Francisco, Baker Beach side show dramatic, highly disturbed, evidence of the impact of this ocean floor's collision with the westward moving North American continent.

This field trip was produced for the Onset Workshops led by Don Reed, San Jose State University and Jim Locke, College of Marin.

Click on images for a bigger picture and additional information.


The Marin Headlands Trip
 
Click on the image to begin your geological exploration of the Marin Headlands (seen here looking from Baker Beach in San Francisco)
(Headlands Table of Contents)


The Baker Beach Trip
 
Click on the image to begin your geological exploration of Baker Beach (seen here looking from final stop in the Marin Headlands)

(Baker Beach Table of Contents)