While there are no active plate boundaries within Arizona itself, the state is located near the San Andreas Fault, a transform plate boundary where the Pacific Plate slides past the North American Plate. This fault system is responsible for the significant geological activity in California and influences the tectonic forces that shape the landscape of Arizona.

The Grand Canyon, while formed by the Colorado River's erosion, is ultimately shaped by the uplift and faulting that occurs due to the movement of the North American Plate and the influence of the San Andreas Fault.