The Jurassic in Utah
201.6 - 145.5 Ma

The Jurassic period is the middle of the Mesozoic era, The Mesozoic is also known as the time of the dinosaurs. Mesozoic means "middle life" referring to it's relationship between the older life forms of the Paleozoic and the more familiar forms of the Tertiary and Cenozoic.  The term "Jurassic" was given to rocks of this age by Alexander von Humbolt in reference to the rocks of the Swabian Jura, a tall plateau in south-central Germany, which contains Jurassic sediments.  During the Mesozoic,, the supercontinent Pangea, was starting to drift apart, creating more seabed. Subsequent of this action, sea levels began to rise, and a small mass extinction of shallow water animals occurred. The rising seas began to cover most of the central and western North Americas, submerging a large portion of what would become Utah.  Significant Jurassic Strata in Utah include (from youngest to oldest):

Morrison Formation
Summerville Formation
Entrada Formation
Carmel Formation
Navajo Sandstone
Moenave Formation