Skip to main content

Granite Canyon

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Dictionary of Geotourism
  • 3 Accesses

This is a valley in a granite area with steep slopes, where the depth of the valley is greater than the width. They generally develop along tectonic faults in locations of intense uplift. Granite canyons form easily when the rate of uplift is similar to the rate of water erosion. For example, due to uplift associated with neotectonic movements, the Huangshan granite body has reached an elevation of more than 1,800 m. Coupled with the development of faults and strong erosion from abundant rainfall, a group of deep canyons that radiate from the centre of the rock body into the surrounding areas has formed. The Xihai Grand Canyon formed as a result of erosion by water along a NE-SW-trending fault line (Fig. 24).

Fig. 24
figure 724 figure 724

V-shaped granite canyon landscape in Huangshan

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 549.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 699.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

(2020). Granite Canyon. In: Chen, A., Ng, Y., Zhang, E., Tian, M. (eds) Dictionary of Geotourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_955

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics