A nearly two-decade tradition featuring photos of some of Utah’s most scenic and iconic landscapes has been released by the Utah Geological Survey via a calendar that is an ideal stocking stuffer.
The unique characteristic of the calendar is that the photos are taken by seasoned geologists well equipped with the knowledge of where to find the best shots and most stunning geologic features Utah has to offer.
“Every photograph in this calendar is a mile marker of our work across this magnificent state,” said Darlene Batatian, UGS director.
“It celebrates the special moments we experience while we work: the sunrises we catch over a newly mapped fault line in Cache Valley or the dust we kick up mapping mineral deposits near the Arizona border. Our geologists are trekking across nearly every mile of every Utah country, from the high Uintas to the red rock desert. We aren’t just mapping rocks; we are also mapping the foundation — the water, energy, minerals and hazards — that supports every Utahn’s future.”
Batatian said the calendar showcases some of the most beautiful photos, but it also illustrates the story of how the agency supports the prosperity of the entire state.
This year’s calendar features a cover photo by Mark Milligan, who spoke about what the publication means to him.
The beauty of Utah
“The cover shot captures a moment of being in the right time and place down in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. But that shot wasn’t an accident; it was a mission,” Milligan said.
“I was there working on an update to the Utah Geosights App. I’d been hiking for a while, when I found the perfect hoodoo: isolated, dramatic, and facing the light just right. I only had a few minutes before having to move on, so I dropped my field gear and scrambled up a small ridge. That picture, to me, is the fusion of our work using the latest tech to map and share the state’s geology, but still having to get out there and put in the miles. The calendar reminds us that technology guides us, but the geology inspires us.”
The survey typically receives dozens of photos from their geologists who work in the field. While not professional photographers, they know the landscapes and unique geologic formations.
It is a tough call to determine whose photograph makes it into the calendar, but it is designed to highlight the diversity of Utah’s scenery and geology.
The 2026 Calendar of Utah Geology is available now for $8.95. Calendars can be purchased online at www.utahmapstore.com and at the Natural Resources Map & Bookstore located at 1594 W. North Temple in Salt Lake City.