John Bezy's "The Mogollon Rim, Arizona: Geology, Vegetation, Wildlife"

John V. Bezy, Ph.D. geologist, field trip guide, and story-teller authored/co-authored a string of natural history books on the geologic setting of the Southwestern U.S.

One of John’s latest offerings, The Mogollon Rim, Arizona: Geology, Vegetation, Wildlife, was self-published in 2017. He generously provided the AZGS with a digital copy to host at our online Document Repository for public consumption. The 93-page book includes 73 figures, seven chapters, an epilogue, and suggested readings on the geology and ecological setting of the Mogollon Rim. It includes chapters on select locations that possess a high geotourism value:
•    Highway 89A, Sedona-Oak Creek Canyon and Vicinity
•    Highway 87-260-Rim Road Loop, Payson and Vicinity
•    Highway 60, Show Low and Vicinity

You can view and download the booklet here at the AZGS Document Repository.

From the book’s introduction, “The Mogollon Rim is one of the longest escarpments on Earth. Extending for over 200 miles (322 km) across central Arizona and reaching a height of 2000 ft. (610 m), this imposing line of cliffs-- after the Grand Canyon-- is the second largest geologic
feature in the state. It is of great geologic, biologic, hydrologic, and climatic significance.

The Rim is a geologic boundary between the Colorado Plateau to the north and the Transition Ranges of central Arizona to the south. It forms the southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau, a 130,000-square-mile (336,698-square-km) geologic province of mostly horizontal sedimentary rocks, vast plains, high mesas and buttes, deep canyons, volcanic fields and isolated mountain clusters. Weathering and erosion by running water are slowly wearing back the Rim to the north. South of the Rim are the highly faulted mountain ranges and intervening basins of the Transition Zone of central Arizona.”

The Arizona Geological Survey published 11 books by John and his co-authors as part of our ‘Down to Earth’ publication series. A bibliography of John V. Bezy's contributions to the AZGS ‘Down-to-Earth’ publication series follows.

Citation: Bezy, J.V., 2017, The Mogollon Rim, Arizona: Geology, Vegetation, Wildlife. Saddlebrooke, Arizona: John V. Bezy Inc., 93 p.

• Bezy, J.V. and Conway, F.M., 2020. Island Mountains of Southeastern Arizona: Geology, Vegetation & Wildlife. Arizona Geological Survey Down-to-Earth #24, 99 p.
• Bezy, J.V., 2016, A Guide to the Geology of the Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona: The Geology and Life Zones of a Madrean Sky Island. Arizona Geological Survey Down-to-Earth # 22, 83 p.
• Bezy, J.V., 2012, A Guide to the Geology of the Sedona & Oak Creek Canyon area, Arizona. Arizona Geological Survey Down-to-Earth DTE #20, 42 p.
• Bezy, J.V., 2005, A Guide to the Geology of Saguaro National Park. Arizona Geological Survey Down to Earth, DTE #18, 47 p.
• Bezy, J.V., 2004, A Guide to the Geology of Sabino Canyon and the Catalina Highway. Arizona Geological Survey Down to Earth, DTE #17, 56 p.
• Bezy, J.V., 2003, A Guide to the Geology of the Flagstaff Area. Arizona Geological Survey Down-to-Earth Series DTE-14, 56 p.
• Bezy, J.V., Trevena, A.S., 2003, A Guide to the Geology of the White Mountains and the Springville Volcanic Field, Arizona. Arizona Geological Survey Down-to-Earth Series DTE-16, 56 p.
• Bezy, J.V., 2002, A Guide to the Geology of Catalina State Park and the Western Santa Catalina Mountains. Arizona Geological Survey Down-to-Earth Series DTE-12, 57 p.
• Bezy, J.V., 2001, Rocks in the Chiricahua National Monument and the Fort Bowie National Historic Site. Arizona Geological Survey Down-to-Earth Series #11, 48 p. (2nd printing in 2011)
• Bezy, J.V., Gutmann, J. and Haxel, G.B., 2000, A Guide to the Geology of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and the Pinacate Biosphere Reserve. Arizona Geological Survey Down-to-Earth #9, 66 p.
• Bezy, J.V. and Trevena, A.S., 2000, Guide to the Geology of Petrified Forest National Park. Arizona Geological Survey Down-to-Earth #10, 48 p.
• Amann, Jr., A.W., Bezy, J.V., Ratkevich, R. and Witkind, W.M., 1998, Ice Age Mammals of the San Pedro River Valley Southeastern Arizona. Arizona Geological Survey Down-to-Earth #6, 32 p.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

AZGS thanks John V. Bezy for his generous contribution to our Down-to-Earth series over the past three decades. John’s natural history booklets on Arizona’s splendid geology form the backbone of our popular geology texts. Thousands of paper copies were sold through the Arizona Geology Bookstore and tens-of-thousands of digital copies have been downloaded from the AZGS Document Repository.

John Bezy spend 1000s of hours researching and writing these texts and without once requesting financial reimbursement. Sadly, John passed away on 6 Sept 2020 at his home in Catalina, Arizona.