The continental slope gradually rises from the abyssal plains, but it climbs as steeply as 45 degrees as it approaches land. In some areas, the slope is interrupted by broad wedges of sediment deposits called continental rises. Continental slopes are often gouged by deep valleys or submarine canyons, many with the same proportions as the Grand Canyon. While most canyons were originally formed during the last Ice Age, some are the result of earthquakes.

Canyons found off the east and west coasts of the United States are similar in one respect: they both have the classic "V" profile with steep walls and rock outcroppings. East Coast canyons of the United States begin at the very edge of the landward side of the continental slope and extend to seaward in an almost straight line. The Hudson Canyon off Long Island, New York, is the best known and studied canyon on the East Coast. It was first identified in 1864. The canyon begins as a shallow valley crossing the continental shelf. The axis of the canyon then trails down the continental slope for a distance of about fifty miles. The greatest wall height is about 4,000 feet at a depth of 6,000 feet.

West Coast submarine canyons are noticeably different from those on the East Coast. They are extremely rugged, twisted, and begin less than 1,000 feet offshore. This is due to the exceedingly narrow continental shelf. Monterey Canyon is the deepest, largest, and most thoroughly studied canyon on the West Coast. It starts near Moss Landing, California, at a depth of fifty feet. The canyon, with walls up to 6,000 feet, extends seaward for more than sixty miles. It terminates at a depth of about 10,000 feet.