The Bass Formation, also known as the Bass Limestone, is a Mesoproterozoic rock formation that outcrops in the eastern Grand Canyon, Coconino County, Arizona. The Bass Formation erodes as either cliffs or stair-stepped cliffs. In the case of the stair-stepped topography, resistant dolomite layers form risers and argillite layers form steep treads. In general, the Bass Formation in the Grand Canyon region and associated strata of the Unkar Group-rocks dip northeast (10°–30°) toward normal faults that dip 60+° toward the southwest. This can be seen at the Palisades fault in the eastern part of the main Unkar Group outcrop area (below East Rim). In addition, thick, prominent, and dark-colored basaltic sills intrude across the Bass Formation.

The Bass Formation is the basal part of the Unkar Group.

The Unkar Group is about 1,600 to 2,200 m (5,200 to 7,200 ft) thick and composed of, in ascending order, the Bass Formation, Hakatai Shale, Shinumo Quartzite, Dox Formation, and Cardenas Basalt. The Unkar Group is overlain in ascending order by the Nankoweap Formation, about 113 to 150 m (371 to 492 ft) thick; the Chuar Group, about 1,900 m (6,200 ft) thick; and the Sixtymile Formation, about 60 m (200 ft) thick.

The Grand Canyon Supergroup, of which the Bass Formation is the lowermost formation, overlies deeply eroded granites, gneisses, pegmatites, and schists that comprise Vishnu Basement Rocks.

There has been some discussion about the nomenclature of the Bass Formation. It was originally named the Bass Limestone in 1914 for Bass Canyon, where it is typically exposed. The Bass Limestone has been reclassified as the Bass Formation by geologists because it consists of heterogeneous mixtures of clastic and carbonate sedimentary strata of which dolomite is the predominant rock type and limestone is only a minor rock type. In addition, its Hotauta Member was originally designated as the Hotauta Conglomerate in 1914 as a separate unit of formation status for Hotauta Canyon. It was later included in the Bass Formation as a member where it has remained.

The Bass Formation consists of interbedded sandstone (arkose), and silty sandstone, prominent interbeds of conglomerate and dolomite, and subordinate interbeds of argillite and limestone. Dolomite and sandy dolomite are the predominant lithologies. Beds of intraformational breccia are also found throughout the Bass Formation. The dolomites and limestones vary in color from gray to red-gray and sometimes contain biscuit-form and biohermal stromatolite beds. The conglomerates, breccias, sandstones, and argillites vary in color from purple-brown to dark red and reddish brown.

Dolomite and limestone dominate the Bass Formation in the central part of the Grand Canyon, while the sandstone, conglomerate, and argillite dominate the Bass Formation in the eastern part of the Grand Canyon. The Bass Formation typically becomes generally finer grained toward the top.

Volcanic ash layers occur in the Bass Formation. They consist of layers of white, very fine-grained tephra, that are interbedded with dolomite and argillite toward the base of the formation. These layers are characterized by sharp basal contacts, some graded-bedding, and a diverse silicate mineral assemblage that differs from the carbonate or calcsilicate dominated mineral assemblages of adjacent strata. Zircons from one of these volcanic ash beds has been dated using Uranium-lead dating techniques.